Somewhere Beyond the Heavens
by Shawn Scialo
Summary: A Buck Rogers Crossover
1. Default Chapter

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century  
  
"Somewhere Beyond the Heavens"  
  
  
  
The young cadets of the Earth ship, Searcher, stood shoulder to shoulder in the ships launching bay, listening intently to the words of their commanding officer. Today, Admiral Asimov was speaking with a passion that he had never displayed before, at least not in front of his subordinates. Electricity was in the air. They could all feel it. This was the day they would all meet their destinies, the very day they had planned for when they left Earth over two years ago this month. The crew of the Searcher was about to make first contact with a group of humans that could be their long lost brothers, forgotten over the millennia.  
  
"There are those who believe that life here began out there", Asimov said looking up from his notes on the podium. "Far across the universe with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. They may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids or the lost civilizations of Atlantis or Lemuria. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens."  
  
As the Admirals last words still reverberated around the launch bay, he slammed his book shut quite dramatically and stood at attention. Captain Buck Rogers, standing just behind the Admiral, allowed a subtle grin towards Colonel Wilma Deering. She returned the smile but shook her head in a disapproving manner. Buck knew that he would catch hell later for his lack of discipline during this very serious debriefing, but he just couldn't help himself. He figured the bogies their advanced scouts had detected were probably just some outlaw traffic trying to escape persecution. They could also be remnants of the probe from the Draconian Empire that they had encountered a couple of months back. The possibilities were endless. Yet, the Admiral felt that this unknown convoy of ships approaching was the real deal, human beings from a distant world on a heading to return to their point of origin-Earth!  
  
"The man who wrote this sacred passage-"  
  
The Admiral stopped in mid sentence as alert claxons roared to life throughout the ship.  
  
"Battle stations!" Asimov ordered. "All pilots man your fighters!"  
  
"C'mon!" yelled Buck to Wilman and Hawk.  
  
Hawk, the half man-half bird, was the last of his species and Buck Rogers closest comrade in this human trek through the stars. He had pledged to always follow Buck's lead and he now would once again follow him into combat against an unknown enemy.  
  
"Right behind you Buck!" was Hawks' reply. "I'm with you too!" shouted Wilma.  
  
Just minutes after the first alert, Asimov was on the bridge, racing from station to station to assess the forces of the approaching enemy.  
  
"What do we have?" he asked no one in particular.  
  
"Sir, an unbelievable number of alien craft is closing in on the Searcher", came a reply from a bridge officer.  
  
"Alien craft? How can you be sure?" he demanded.  
  
"The ships are 3 passenger craft with no signs of human life aboard. Magna scan detects the ships contain some form of androids, or robots!"  
  
"My lord! A race of machines? Who are they? What could they want?" the admiral gasped.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED!  
  
STAY TUNED!!! 


	2. A New Ally

Buck Rogers: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens  
  
Part 2  
"They're called Cylons and what they want is the extermination of all mankind!"  
  
The voice was still reverberating around the Searcher's bridge as startled crewmembers stopped what they were doing to glimpse the figure now on their main viewer. Asimov composed himself as quickly as he could. He had to show strength and courage to his mostly young crew. As he cursed himself for stumbling when the voice had boomed over the loudspeakers, Lieutenant Devlin helped Asimov back to his feet, but the Admiral pushed him away. He gave Devlin a soft push back towards his station, never taking his eyes off of the silver haired human male dominating his view screen. As Devlin resumed his station, he coyly flipped the Starfighter Unicom to activate. He knew his buddy Buck would want to hear this exchange.  
  
The stranger appeared to be a human male approximately 65 years old, Asimov would guess. He wore a midnight blue uniform of some kind with a large, silver, medallion just below the neckline. A decorated admiral of the Earth Federation himself, Asimov also noted several smaller pins around the collar, which he assumed were symbols of rank. This man was a leader, but for whom?  
  
"To whom am I speaking? How did you get this frequency?" demanded the Admiral.  
  
"I am Adama. I am the Commander of the Battlestar Galactica, flagship of the planet Caprica", the man said with authority.  
  
The bridge crew of Searcher reacted as one, whispering with their fellow officers in a clear state of both elation and confusion.  
  
"Caprica?" came Asimov's belated response. "I will ask you again. How did you get this frequency and what do you know of this alien force approaching?"  
  
"There's no time for that", Adama replied gruffly. "If you want to live, you must trust me. The Cylons that are now advancing on your position are members of a race of beings that have but one goal---the extermination of all human life!"  
  
A hush fell over the Searcher Bridge. Asimov sat in his command chair, trying to assimilate all of this incredible information.  
  
"Sir", said Devlin. "Contact with alien forces in 2 minutes."  
  
"Commander Adama", said Asimov, first clearing his throat. "Why would these Cylons bother with us? We have not provoked them."  
  
"That is irrelevant. You are human, so they will attack you. This particular attack force has been shadowing us for several days now", said Adama.  
  
"Admiral, this is Colonel Deering", came a voice over the Unicom system. "We are 60 seconds from intercept."  
  
"Yes, Colonel. Report", said Asimov, still locked in a staring contest with the stranger, Adama.  
  
"Admiral, this is Rogers", came Buck's familiar voice of bravado. "I suggest you get the Searcher out of here. These beings, whoever they are, have just pulled out four more squadrons!"  
  
"We're outnumbered 10 to 1!" exclaimed Lieutenant Devlin.  
  
"My god", said Asimov in barely a whisper.  
  
"Turn your ship around 60 degrees and I will rendezvous with you", Adama now pleaded.  
  
The Admiral paused a moment.  
  
"Trust me my friend", said Adama. "We have been at war with the Cylons for over a thousand yahrens. You need us. We need each other."  
  
"Yahrens?" quipped Devlin.  
  
"It seems as if we are caught between a rock and a hard place", said Asimov to his crew.  
  
Doctor Goodfellow entered the bridge in such haste, that it took him several moments to focus on the large image of Adama shimmering on the main viewer.  
  
"My word. What's going on?" gasped the elder.  
  
"It seems as if we are caught in a cross fire between two ancient enemy's in some intergalactic war", Devlin replied.  
  
"Oh, dear."  
  
"Devlin!" interrupted Asimov. "Make a course for that convoy of ships---for the Galactica!"  
  
"Yes, sir!" replied the Searchers' helmsman.  
  
"You've done the right thing---"  
  
"Asimov. Admiral Asimov."  
  
"Admirl Asimov, the Galactica's squadrons' will be there to support your pilots in a matter of microns", said Adama before his image left the view screen.  
  
"Micron?" Wilma whispered.  
  
"What's a micron?" asked Hawk as he peered out of his War Hawk fighter towards Buck's ship.  
  
"I hope it's less than a second or we may never find out the answer" deadpanned Buck.  
  
"Here they come!" cried Wilma.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED! 


	3. The Enemy Engaged

Buck Rogers: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens  
  
Part 3  
"Boy, they are coming in hot!" exclaimed Buck as he carefully monitored the approaching enemy on his flight scanner.  
  
"Clearly, their speed is superior", said the always serious Hawk.  
  
"Prepare to engage", ordered Wilma, desperately trying to keep her composure.  
  
Wilma was an experienced combat veteran, but this was unlike any battle she had ever been a part of. This was a completely new, completely unknown enemy from a technologically advanced civilization. She prayed her young Starfighters were up to the task.  
  
"Attention all Starfighters!" she cried. "Switch to manual! I repeat, Switch to manual! Combat computers off."  
  
"Wilma Deering?" said a shocked Buck.  
  
"Not now, Buck. I want everyone using your god given instincts to survive", she explained.  
  
Suddenly, flashes of blue white exhaust streams roared by the Searcher squadron. Buck was nearly knocked off course by the close proximity of one of these new bogies that came roaring by them from behind.  
  
The Starfighters from Searcher suddenly found themselves in the rear flank of a maddening battle. Buck was immediately impressed with these guys, whoever they were. He saw several streams of red laser fire find their marks instantly, turning the approaching enemy into fireballs.  
  
"Wow", sighed Buck.  
  
"Let's join the party", said Colonel Deering.  
  
Buck, Wilma, Hawk and the rest of the Starfighters engaged the Cylons with a ferocity that they themselves never knew they had.  
  
"I got one", chirped an ecstatic Wilma.  
  
"These guys aren't all that", said an arrogant Buck as he blasted a Cylon fighter to oblivion.  
  
"No, but their technology is quite impressive", Hawk said with some duress. His ship was taking heavy fire from a half dozen Cylons.  
  
"Hang on, Hawk!" shouted Buck. "I'm coming!"  
  
Hawk dodged and ducked in and around the vastness of space to no avail. He could not shake his pursuers.  
  
"Stay calm", came a voice over Hawk's cockpit speakers. Hawk did not recognize the voice, but it did sound human----and friendly.  
  
"You're caught in a Cylon Pinwheel attack", said the voice as Hawk's ship was rocked by laser fire. "Look at their orientation, you just have to time your counterstrike perfectly."  
  
"I see the opening," shouted Hawk as he pressed his auto fire. The blackness of space erupted in deadly yellow salvos of energy. Three Cylons exploded almost instantly.  
  
"Ok, Mister Cylon. We call this blitzing your linebackers!" sneered Buck as he blew away another one of Hawks' pursuers.  
  
Hawk's anonymous friend destroyed the remaining two Cylons.  
  
"Thank you, whoever you are", sighed Hawk.  
  
"The name's Boomer, friend. Anytime."  
  
"I am Hawk."  
  
"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Mister Hawk. Now, if you'll excuse me", said Boomer as he veered away firing his lasers at a new target at full turbo thrust.  
  
"Nice shooting, Boom-Boom" said Sheba.  
  
"Watch it Sheba! You've got one on your tail!" Buck heard a strong male voice shout over the com-line.  
  
"Apollo! I'm in trouble!"  
  
She certainly was, thought Buck. He could see one of the sleek Galactica fighters, Vipers he had heard someone say, and desperately trying to evade three of the oval shaped enemy craft.  
  
"I've got ya' miss", said Buck as he veered his fighter in Sheba's direction.  
  
Elsewhere, Wilma rolled her eyes. Buck always had to save the young maidens in distress.  
  
"I can't get there in time", cried Apollo, his viper burrowing through thick laser fire towards his lover's plane.  
  
"Not to worry friend", said Buck as he calmly created three more Cylon fireballs.  
  
"Thank you", said Sheba as she finally was able to exhale.  
  
"My pleasure", said a smug Buck.  
  
"They are retreating", reported Hawk.  
  
"And I see why", added Wilma.  
  
The monolithic ship arrived on the scene and looked like a whale amongst starfish. Immediately, the giant ships laser batteries sprung to life, destroying dozens of enemy fighters.  
  
"What is it?" asked an awed Wilma.  
  
"It's our home", replied Apollo.  
Baltar put the shovel down. He had to rest. Although he had lost a considerable amount of weight since his rescue, he was by no means physically fit. As he wiped away the sweat from his brow, he wondered how much more of this he could take. It was as hot as a blast furnace in the boiler room his captors called an engine room. He knew that if he were caught taking a free micron, he would be shot immediately.  
  
The sound of footsteps approaching signaled the return of his master. Baltar drove his shovel deep into the gooey mineral and tossed it into the fiery furnace. He began to pick up the pace, realizing that his master was right behind him.  
  
"You are pathetic, Baltar", said the frighteningly gravelly voice.  
  
Baltar stopped, turning around to face the music. He knew this could be it, the end.  
  
"Why we keep you alive is beyond me", said the hulking form before him. "If it were not for the code, I would kill you myself!"  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Nador. I will do better", pleaded Baltar.  
  
As the angry Nador stormed away, Baltar thanked the gods above with an exaggerated sigh and glance towards the heavens above. As he resumed his duties, he glanced around the dirty, dreary engine room. A half dozen other slaves were going about their duties, trying to stay alive. They were the dregs of humanity as well as other alien species that had been picked up along the way by the mercenary scavengers that commanded this broken down freighter.  
  
Baltar thought back to the time many yahrens ago when he had sealed his own fate by making a deal with the devil, Adama. He sold his knowledge of the layout of a Cylon Basestar to the Galactica Commander in exchange for his freedom. When those two thorns in his side, Apollo and Starbuck actually succeeded in destroying the Cylon equivalent to a Battlestar, Adama kept his word and set him on the first habitable planet---marooned. Several yahrens later, the short range marker beacon the fool Adama had allowed him to keep was picked up by the motley crew of this ship, the "Nostedara". Nostedara was a Borellian Nomen word, which translated into Colonial basic as "Avenger".  
  
The only reason Maga kept him alive was because Baltar had aided the Nomen in freeing him from life imprisonment on the Prison Barge. For that, Maga owed Baltar some debt of gratitude. This was some thanks. However, at least he was still alive. If it were up to Maga's son, Nador, Baltar would have been scalped a long time ago.  
  
A strong shudder almost knocked Baltar and several of the other slaves off of their feet. Baltar could feel the ship's hull fighting through an atmosphere of a planetoid or moon. The Nomen never bothered to warn their slaves to hold on or strap themselves in. They were landing and that meant that the Nomen must have spotted something worth stopping for.  
  
A short time later, Baltar and the other slaves were being herded out of the Avenger and into the blinding daylight of a barren, desolate world. It reminded Baltar very much of the planet Adama had marooned him on all those yahrens ago. He followed Nador's instructions and headed up a steep embankment of sand and rock. As the group reached the top, the sun shone down ever brighter, but Baltar could still see an excavation was already under way. Within centons, the slavers and the slaves had arrived at what appeared to be a crash site. Metal debris and the apparent fuselage of a spacecraft were strewn about the area. Then he saw it. The familiar marking he had seen so many times. It was on a very large piece or fragment of metal that could have once been a wing of some sort. Baltar's heart leapt from his chest. His eyes peered through the debris---searching- --searching-until he found the final piece to the puzzle.  
  
The metallic helmet still shined brightly. It's silver chrome-dome seemed undamaged, but it was clearly not functional. The red eye scanner was not apparent. It was a Cylon Centurion. What did it mean? Had there been a battle above this planet? Was that devil, Adama, responsible? Nador shoved Baltar roughly.  
  
"Get to work!!!"  
  
"Y-yes, m-master", said Baltar, bowing his head.  
  
Later that night, as the slave had gathered around a large fire, Baltar watched closely as Maga and his mate, Separa, dragged a lifeless form towards the ship. They let it drop, roughly, shackled it to the ship, and walked away. Baltar heard a cough come from the once lifeless form that was unmistakably human. Baltar bided his time and waited for the perfect opportunity to investigate this new development. The traitor of the entire population of twelve thriving worlds slithered his way over, undetected, towards this new captive. As he got closer, he could tell that this poor fellow was definitely human, a human male. Quickly, Baltar scanned the area one more time to make sure he wasn't being watched. Satisfied, Baltar tugged at the man's shoulder, turning him over onto his back to get a good look at his newest cellmate. He gasped when his eyes focused on the man's face. Slowly, his initial shock turned to elation. He almost laughed out loud.  
  
It was Starbuck.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED! 


	4. THE PLOT THICKENS

Buck Rogers: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens Part 4  
The Draconian Star Fortress idled through space using only minimal power for its thrusters. Deep within the bowels of the Royal Battleship, Princess Ardalla waited patiently for Killer Kane's next report. Her executive officers previous report had given her high hopes that they had at last overtaken the Earth ship Searcher and one Captain William "Buck" Rogers.  
  
She poured herself a celebratory drink and slinked back to her enormous bedchambers to await final confirmation. Her door alarm buzzed as she made herself comfortable against the large pillows on the bed's headboard.  
  
"Enter", she said eagerly.  
  
First officer Kane, "Killer Kane" to many of his enemies and allies alike, entered the chamber. Even though he had served with the Princess since she was a young girl, he was still awestruck by her beauty every time his eyes fell on her form. He especially liked these reports when he had to debrief his Princess in her private chambers. She was usually scantily clad and slightly intoxicated. Kane would not be disappointed today. The Princess lay on the bed in a skimpy nightgown, which left little to the imagination.  
  
"Well?" said the Princess, jarring Kane out of his fantasy. "Are you going to just stand there? What do you have to report, Kane?"  
  
"I'm sorry, my lady. Forgive me. I bring good news", said Kane as he stumbled ever closer to Ardalla's bed.  
  
"Well?" said Ardalla before finishing her drink and rising from the bed.  
  
"One of your father's spy satellites has determined the Searcher's exact coordinates", reported Kane happily.  
  
"Excellent!" exclaimed the Princess. "I want you to proceed to those coordinates at full speed, Kane! I will have Buck Rogers and Wilma Deering's head on a platter by the end of this day!"  
  
Kane was beside himself with joy. Ardalla, the passion of his life, had finally given up on her lustful hopes of seducing the 534 year old Earthling. At last, the only thing she wished of Buck Rogers was his death, but not before she saw the pathetic Wilma Deering begging for her life as well.  
  
"Princess, there is other---disquieting news to report", Kane said almost sheepishly. He really didn't want to spoil the moment, but he had no choice.  
  
"What is it?" the Princess demanded.  
  
"The data sent from the spy satellite was incomplete, however, it appeared as if the Searcher had engaged a large number of hostiles", reported Kane dutifully.  
  
"Hostiles? Out here? We're in the middle of nowhere", said the Princess before pouring herself another drink.  
  
"I can't explain it, Princess, but telemetry indicates that there was a very large battle waged in that sector."  
  
"So, what do you suggest, Kane?"  
  
"I highly suggest we call up the Royal Star Fleet. They could be here in a day's time", explained Kane.  
  
Ardalla paused, sipped her alcohol, and approached Kane. "Very well. Do as you must."  
  
"I believe it is the prudent thing to do, your highness", Kane said before turning to exit.  
The Searcher took up a position alongside the gigantic Battlestar Galactica, ahead of the other 200 ships that made up the rag tag fleet. The Searcher was about three quarters of the size of one of Galactica's pontoon like launching bays, yet to the crew inside Searcher, the Galactica may as well have been a small moon. It was simply awe-inspiring.  
  
"Have you ever seen anything like it?" asked Admiral Asimov to no one in particular.  
  
"Not even in my dreams", answered Hawk.  
  
"Well, I'll tell you something", offered Dr. Goodfellow, "They must be using some unknown power source, because nothing we have could sustain that monolith."  
  
"Beeda beeda beeda", added Twiki.  
  
"I can not identify the fuel source that I am scanning. It does not compute", said the always-monotone voice of Crighton.  
  
"Don't feel bad, Crighton", said Buck with a pat on the robot's metallic shoulder. "No one from our corner of this universe has ever seen the likes of the Galactica."  
  
As the crew of Searcher continued to star at their main viewer in complete awe, Devlin decided that he could not remain quiet any longer.  
  
"What about the pilots that we lost today? Four men and three women. We don't even know what they died for", said Devlin emotionally.  
  
"I think we're about to find out, Devlin", said Wilma with a reassuring pat on her comrade's shoulder.  
  
"Yes. Yes, it's time we got our answers. Let's proceed to the launch bay", said Asimov. "Our command crew has been invited to Galactica for a summit of sorts. I suppose it's time we get under way."  
  
"Beeda beeda. What about me, can I come?" asked Twiki.  
  
"Well, I don't see why not Twiki", answered Buck.  
  
"Yippeeee! Right on, daddy-o!" exclaimed the little drone.  
  
"Well, if Twiki is going, I must go as well", said Crighton. "We would not want these Galacticans to think that Twiki is our worlds highest form of AI android."  
  
"Hey, watch it bub", Twiki retorted angrily.  
  
"C'mon", laughed Wilma. "Let's go."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	5. The Cylon Factor

Buck Rogers: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens Part 5  
Inside the Cylon Super-Basestar, Destructor, glass doors slid open to allow the command centurion entrance into Imperious Leader's chambers. The gold plated centurion commander entered quickly, stopping at the base of Imperious Leaders' tall pedestal. The Gold Cylon's red eye crisscrossed the room, noting the presence of the two IL series planners sitting on pedestals of their own on each side of the Supreme Cylon. His memory circuits told him that the IL droid to his right was Spectre, former base commander of the planet Attilla. To the left, he recognized the most decorated IL Cylon in the empire, Lucifer, the former aid, or puppet, of the human traitor known as Baltar.  
  
"Vulpa", Imperious Leader said, his voice echoing through the chamber. "It pleases me to see you fully functional again."  
  
Vulpa had been badly damaged during the battle for the Ravashol pulsar on the planet Arcta. It had taken a full yahren to repair the command centurion and many more yahrens for Vulpa to work his way back up the ranks of the Cylon Empire. His loss at Arcta had branded him weak. Vulpa was anything but weak.  
  
He had sworn his revenge against this Imperious Leader long before that fateful day on ice planet zero. The leader had banished Vulpa to the snow planet after Vulpa had challenged the Leaders decision to chase the last remnants of humanity across the stars. Vulpa had suggested, in front of the Supreme Cylon Planners, that Imperious Leader give up the pursuit of the Galactica and let the rag-tag fleet go. His reasoning was that the war had in affect already been won. The Colonies were completely destroyed. It was not worth Cylon resources and time to chase a handful of survivors across the cosmos. The Leader felt differently and punished his prized pupil by demoting him to the far reaches of the empire, on Arcta.  
  
Now, many yahrens later, after successfully implanting his own third brain without Supreme Planner or Imperious Leaders' permission, Vulpa had come to face his destiny.  
  
"I raise my weapon so that I may perform the following function", stated Vulpa matter of factly.  
  
Imperious Leader was perplexed. Vulpa had raised his right arm but had no weapon in his possession. Furthermore, what in the name of Cylon was the Gold Cylon talking about?  
  
Lucifer's circuits were working in high gear. His processors immediately noticed that the voice projector of this famous command centurion was not standard issue. It sounded far different than any Cylon Lucifer had ever come across. It sounded demonic. It sounded as if there were a hissing behind it, maybe to honor the true reptilian Cylons of long ago.  
  
Spectres' sensors worked over the form of Vulpa feverishly. The IL droid was afraid, as afraid as a Cylon could be, and he could not explain why. Then, microns before it happened, Spectre sensed the weapon immerging from Vulpa's right arm.  
  
Vulpas' arm extended out from his body. The area from his elbow to his hand suddenly broke in two, revealing a large laser-rifle. The rifle was pointed directly at Imperious Leader.  
  
"Vulpa, I order you to stand down!" commanded Imperious Leader.  
  
Vulpa's eye sensor suddenly stopped reading from side to side. The red light simply froze on the Imperious leader. A beam erupted from the eye, finding its mark in the middle of the Cylon leaders' forehead. This beam acted as a laser scope, directing Vulpa's arm blaster where to fire its deadly energy.  
  
"You have failed the alliance for the last time", said Vulpa. "You have wasted over 20 cycles on these motley few humans. Our fleets are scattered throughout the universe, our home planet is in disarray. It all ends today!"  
  
Even Lucifer and Spectres' photoreceptors could not detect the brilliant flash of fire that left their Imperious Leader decapitated. Lucifer turned his head towards the Leaders' pedestal in time to see his headless form fall to the deck of the chamber.  
  
"Any questions?" Vulpa asked the IL droids.  
  
Spectre and Lucifer exchanged a long look at each other, and then turned their attention back on their leaders' assassin.  
  
"Who is the Supreme Cylon Commander?" asked Vulpa.  
  
"You are", the droids said in unison.  
  
"Where do your loyalties lie?"  
  
"With you, Imperious Leader Vulpa", they both answered.  
  
"The Imperious Leader is dead, as is the last of the bio-cylons. I am Supreme Leader Vulpa", the gold.  
  
"Understood", the droids exclaimed.  
  
"Lucifer, set course for the third planet of this system", said Vulpa as he pointed to a holographic star map that suddenly appeared before them.  
  
The map was emanating from the red eye of Vulpa. It displayed a system of 9 planets and 1 sun.  
  
"By your command, Imp---Supreme Leader", said Lucifer carefully. "If I may be so bold, however, may I ask what planet this is?"  
  
"Of course, Lucifer. It is the planet Earth", said Vulpa as he made himself comfortable on the tall command pedestal.  
  
"Earth?" said Spectre.  
  
"Yes. The Imperious Leader never realized that the human fleet, no matter how far they would stray, always returned to a heading of quadrant alpha, hexalon vector 22 on a circular reckoning course of 000.9. These coordinates culminate on the third planet of this system, which means that planet must be Earth", Vulpa explained.  
  
"Impressive", said Lucifer.  
  
"What if there are brothers of man on this thirteenth colony?" asked Spectre.  
  
"Then, they too will feel the wrath of the Cylon Empire. A fleet of 50 base-stars is already on route to Earth. We will rendezvous with them and await the arrival of Adama and his pathetic fleet. When we have finished with them, we will return home to Cylon and rebuild our decaying Empire!" exclaimed Vulpa.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	6. Greetings

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens Part 6  
  
***Disclaimer: Ok, I lied. I didn't mean to leave so many people hanging. So, I will finish this story before concentrating solely on my website. Enjoy and I hope you'll look for my Battlestar Poseidon website in June.  
  
Shawn Scialo  
  
***  
This was unlike any event the Colonials had experienced since the destruction of their nation. They were about to meet face to face with humans from an obviously technologically advanced civilization; a race of humans even more advanced then the Eastern Alliance or Western Nationalists of Terra that they had encountered so many yahrens ago. And, this band of humans, at least outwardly, seemed completely benign, having only friendly intentions.  
  
Buck was the first member of Earth Ship Searcher to set foot on the deck of Galactica. He immediately took note of the row upon row of Colonial Warriors standing in a tight military formation, a formation not unlike the ones Buck was familiar with in the United States Air Force. The familiarity of it all put Buck at ease for the moment. As he glimpsed the area, he locked eyes with a silver haired elder in a midnight blue uniform standing in front of the military entourage. The man smiled at Buck and Buck returned the smile before turning to take the hand of Wilma as she stepped down from the shuttle. Moments later, the entire Searcher Command Crew was standing in the middle of the Galactica landing bay, their mouths open in awe.  
  
Wilma, ever the experienced combat Colonel, stood dumbfounded as she stared down the seemingly endless rows of Colonial Vipers. She was thinking quickly of all the manpower it must take to keep this operation going. Maintenance crews, flight crews, and god knows what else must have to work around the clock to keep this war machine going, she thought.  
  
"I am Commander Adama", said the man in the midnight blue uniform as he approached the Searcher crew. "Welcome aboard the Galactica."  
  
A couple of hour's later, dinner plates were being cleared as the pleasantries and introductions were over and it was time for the two crews to get down to serious business. So, the Colonials and the Earthlings took turns explaining the state of their respective societies. Incredibly, both were astonished and appalled at the others' story. Adama and his entourage of Apollo, Boomer, Sheba, and Athena were horrified to hear Buck Rogers tell the tale of Earth's nuclear horror. How could the 13th tribe be so self-destructive? It was Adama who offered that the 13th tribe was no more self-destructive than their former society of the 12 Colonies. After all, it was a human that had betrayed their entire civilization to the Cylons. Baltar was not the first or last evil human the Colonies would know. Humans, all humans, were flawed and sinners Adama suggested. The Colonials knew of corruption and greed just as much as their Earth brothers did.  
  
Not surprisingly, Buck and the rest of the Searcher guests were just as flabbergasted after hearing Adama recount the tale of the destruction of the Colonies.  
  
"It's like the holocaust on Earth times 12!" exclaimed a despondent Buck.  
  
"I-I can't even begin to grasp what you've all been through", offered Wilma.  
  
"I can", said a serious Hawk. "I am the last of my species, Commander Adama. I applaud your people's strength and resiliency in surviving a decades long trek through uncharted space. Truly extraordinary!"  
  
Hawk raised his glass and offered a toast to the Galacticans. "To you and your rag-tag fugitive fleet!" exclaimed Hawk.  
  
"Thank you, mister Hawk", answered Adama.  
  
"Mmmmm-mmmm. That has a little kick to it!" groaned Buck as he finished his drink. "What do ya' call this stuff?"  
  
"Ambrosia", answered Sheba with a giggle.  
  
"Excuse me, Athena---isn't it? You seem to be taking quite an interest in our friend Crighton here", said Admiral Asimov.  
  
"I-I'm sorry", stammered Athena. "It makes me feel a little uncomfortable."  
  
With that, Crighton put his hands on his metallic hips in an obvious display of shock and offense to the beautiful brunettes' remarks.  
  
"You will have to excuse my daughter, Admiral", offered Adama. "Your robot is eerily similar in appearance with our enemies---the Cylons."  
  
"Beeda Beeda Beeda. What about me, pal? What do I remind you of?" asked Twiki as he tugged on Adama's sleeve.  
  
Before Adama could answer, Muffit sprang from the far corner of the dining hall. In the daggit's eyes, the little golden person was assaulting the Commander and he was going to do something about it.  
  
"What the hell is that?!" shouted Twiki as Muffey bounded towards him.  
  
An instant later, Twiki was flat on his back with Muffit trying to desperately keep the little android pinned.  
  
"Heyyyyy! Somebody get this Franken-fido off of me!!!" shouted Twiki.  
  
Crighton grabbed the android daggit by it's artificial fur and easily pulled Muffey away from his startled little counterpart.  
  
Both the Galacticans and the Earthlings laughed raucously. It was a hysterical scene.  
  
Sheba was happy to see her normally stoic husband let loose with a good belly laugh. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long.  
  
"What is it?" Sheba said to Apollo as she wiped her tears of laughter from her face.  
  
Apollo was staring at the monitor on the far wall. Tigh's face could be seen and the longtime aid of his father didn't look like he had good news to report.  
  
"Father!!!" shouted Apollo, which immediately silenced the entire dinner party. "Look!"  
  
"Commander?" said Tigh, his voice booming from the speakers.  
  
"Yes, old friend? What is it?"  
  
"Sir, a deep recon probe has detected an unbelievable number of Cylon Basestars massing near the Earth system!" reported an out of breath Tigh.  
  
"No", whispered Adama. "What have I done? I've led them right to Earth."  
  
"My god! What do we do, Commander?" gasped Asimov.  
  
"How quickly could your people evacuate Earth?" Adama asked.  
  
"Evacuate?!" Asimov exclaimed.  
  
"It's either that or stand and fight", said Apollo.  
  
"And probably die", added Athena.  
  
"How many baseships, Tigh? Can you give me a number?" asked Adama.  
  
"Over fifty, Commander. I've never seen anything like it!"  
  
"We'd never survive", sighed Boomer.  
  
"Wait!" interrupted Buck. "Look, there's no way we can evacuate Earth. It would take days. But-- I do have an idea!"  
  
"Beeda Beeda! That's my Buck!!!"  
  
To be continued 


	7. Escape From Planet Starbuck

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 7  
"Baltar!!!" exclaimed a shocked Starbuck.  
  
"That's right, my old friend", sneered the mad Baltar.  
  
Starbuck tried desperately to clear the cobwebs in his head. His eyes darted around the room, seeking to make some sense of where he was and how he came to be in the company of the evil, Baltar. The last thing he remembered was the roar of a starship over his humble dwelling, a shelter that he had fashioned from the wreckage of the Cylon fighter that had shot him down all those yahrens ago. He had not seen or heard from any space faring vessel since he had whisked the mysterious Angela and her baby boy away in his cleverly constructed Viper-Raider hybrid. That was so long ago.  
  
His right hand found it's way to a throbbing bump on the back of his skull. Starbuck had some experience in the art of being knocked unconscious and quickly realized that is how he had lost time. He winced as he touched the tender wound hidden beneath his hairline.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry about that", offered Baltar. "That was not my doing."  
  
Starbuck's senses were quickly coming back to him. He realized that they were in a ship of some kind, a freighter by the looks of it. Out of the corner of his eye, Starbuck glimpsed a window to the outside. He couldn't see much, but there appeared to be many people approaching. Glancing still further down, Starbuck recognized what must be the ships main controls. The cockpit looked antiquated, yet familiar.  
  
"Baltar! Would you mind telling me what the frak is going on? How did I get here?" demanded Starbuck.  
  
"I'm truly sorry dear boy, but there just isn't time", said Baltar nervously. "If you don't get this ship airborne in the next centon, neither one of us will leave here alive."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Those are Borellian Nomen approaching!" snapped Baltar.  
  
"Nomen? Here? How?" asked Starbuck, peering out the cockpit window.  
  
"I'll explain after you get us out of here!" Baltar said in a pleading tone.  
  
Starbuck took a few microns to digest the situation. He decided it would be easier to deal with Baltar in space, than to deal with an angry mob of Nomen.  
  
"Strap yourself in, traitor! We're taking off!" said the heroic Starbuck as he jumped into the familiar saddle of a pilot's chair.  
  
Baltar complied, strapping himself into the co-pilots seat. He smiled and congratulated himself once again on finding a way to stay alive. How ironic to find a great pilot and warrior like Starbuck to help him escape his Nomen captors.  
  
It didn't take Starbuck long to figure out the controls on the Avenger. His fingers moved with great speed, flipping all the right switches to raise the hulking freighter off of the barren desert landscape. It was just in the nick of time, too. The Nomen had gotten close enough to the ship to open fire on her with their deadly laser-boles. A dozen Nomen hurled one twin-energy sphere after another at what was once their ship. Explosions rocked the Avenger from side to side as Starbuck brought her about, aiming the ships main turret at the savage attackers. As the Avenger's guns locked on target, Starbuck could see the face of the longtime Nomen leader, Maga. Starbuck smiled. Maga roared with rage.  
  
"Fire!" screamed Baltar.  
  
Powerful energy beams erupted from the freighters' single turret. The laserfire strafed almost all of the approaching Nomen. Starbuck pulled back on the joystick, pointing the ships' nose towards the heavens and outer space. He never noticed the Nomen that had leaped onto the ships undercarriage.  
  
Neither Baltar nor Starbuck noticed the single Nomen as he made his way into the ship through a manual-landing claw.  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	8. Two Bucks are Better than One

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 8  
Dr. Huer was beside himself. The report filed by Buck Rogers, his most trusted agent, was just too incredible. A fleet of humans from a distant star, claiming to be long lost brothers of Earth, have led an incredibly powerful and hostile race called the Cylons, right to Earth's doorstep.  
  
"This is just horrific, Buck", sighed a shocked Huer.  
  
"I would say that's an understatement", quipped a grim Buck.  
  
Huer stared at Buck's image on his office monitor for a long moment. He abruptly stood to pace around his office, his heart and mind a jumble of emotions. Finally, he turned back towards his desk where Dr. Theopolis, Theo, a leading member of Earth's computer council, sat placidly. Theo's facial lights busily danced , as if the little android were working overtime to come up with a plausible solution to the present dilemma.  
  
"Dr. Theopolis, your thoughts on Buck's plan?" Huer asked.  
  
"The plan is sound, theoretically", answered the little droid. "However, it is highly unlikely that Emperor Draco would go along with it."  
  
"I don't think we have a choice, Theo", Buck's voice boomed over the monitor. "If we can't convince Draco that these Cylons pose as much a threat to him and his empire as they do to Earth, none of us will be around to say I told you so."  
  
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  
  
"Excuse me a moment, Buck", said Dr. Huer.  
  
Huer clicked on his desk com-line. A high ranking member of Earth's Defense Directorate was reporting back to Huer on the status of raising a hailing frequency with the Draconians.  
  
"Report", said Huer.  
  
"Dr. Huer, we have been unable to make contact with Draconian authorities. We're just getting static back, sir."  
  
"How odd", offered Theo.  
  
"However, several of our allies are reporting that the bulk of the Draconian fleet has mobilized on the borders of the Draconian Territories. I'm sending you the exact coordinates now", reported the officer.  
  
"Thank you, that is all", answered Huer as he ripped the report from his computer.  
  
"What is it, doc", asked Buck as his face replaced that of the Directorate officer on Huer's monitor.  
  
"Buck, an entire fleet of Star Fortresses are on a heading to intercept you at your present coordinates. Thus far, we have been unable to contact Draco's Imperial Guard", gasped a flustered Huer.  
  
"It's Ardalla", said Buck with a shake of his head. "She's finally found me."  
  
"Doc, raise Earth's defenses to condition red and activate City Defense shields. I'll handle the Princess", said Buck before the monitor went black.  
  
"Based on the information Buck presented on the technology of these Colonial Warriors and their Cylon enemies, our shields won't last long against their weaponry", stated Theo bluntly.  
  
"We must have faith, Theo. Buck's never let us down before", whispered Huer as he slumped down into his chair.  
Meanwhile, aboard Ardalla's royal Star-Fortress, negotiations between the Colonies of Kobol and the Empire of Draco are already taking place. It had been some time since Starbuck had been with a woman, not to mention a woman as incredibly desirable as Ardalla. He therefore savored every moment of their lovemaking, a marathon of passion that lasted all night long.  
  
"My word!" gasped the Princess. "That was the most incredible experience of my life!!!"  
  
Starbuck rolled over and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Holy Frak!" he gasped.  
  
As the two lovers began to dress, a chiming sound rang through the billet.  
  
"Buck, could you be a dear and get the door", said Ardalla before running off to freshen up.  
  
"It's Star-Buck!" he shouted after her.  
  
Starbuck made his was to the entryway, running his fingers through his hair lazily.  
  
"Enter", he said.  
  
The doors slid open to reveal none other than Baltar with a tray of food in his hands.  
  
"It's about time, traitor!" exclaimed Starbuck. "We ordered that centares ago!"  
  
"How long do we have to keep up this ruse?" demanded Baltar.  
  
"It worked, did'nt it? She thinks I'm a royal from a distant world and you're my servant. I know how to handle women, Baltar. I knew immediately that my story would intrigue this Princess", said Starbuck with a laugh.  
  
Baltar entered the room and put the food-tray down beside the huge bed.  
  
"I see that you've made a complete recovery", Baltar said slyly as he examined the bed.  
  
"You too", said Starbuck. "Which reminds me, what happened to our stowaway?"  
  
"He was just released from our infirmary", answered Ardalla as she re- entered the room. "His injuries were not life threatening and he his body seemed to heal at an astounding rate. I've never seen a creature like him before."  
  
"He's a Borrellian Nomen", offered Baltar.  
  
"Yes, and he deserved the beating he got. He nearly killed us", exclaimed Starbuck.  
  
"That is why he will fight in the arena", Ardalla said with a smile.  
  
"The arena?" Baltar inquired.  
  
"Yes. There he will fight Tiger-man to the death!"  
  
"What's a Tiger-man?" asked Baltar.  
  
"A fight to the death? For what purpose, Princess", asked Starbuck.  
  
"I will match the winner of this match with Earth's greatest warrior-- -Captain Buck Rogers!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	9. The Arena

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens Part 9  
*  
  
Buck made final preparations for takeoff as his comrades stood by; all were in a solemn state. Twiki had already climbed into the rear navigator's seat of his longtime friends' Starfighter. Another longtime friend, Devlin, the helmsman of the Searcher, had flown the fighter to Galactica. As Buck finished his pre-flight check of his ships' undercarriage, Wilma broke formation with the others and ran into his arms.  
  
"Buck, don't go! This is suicide", Wilma cried.  
  
"Hey, hey---where's this coming from?" whispered Buck as he wiped a tear from Wilma's face.  
  
"It's---It's coming from the a woman who loves you!" exclaimed Wilma, her head buried in Buck's chest, unable to face the man she had secretly loved for so long.  
  
Hawk and Admiral Asimov exchanged a look of shock that would dissipate into a pleased understanding. They both knew that Wilma and Buck were in love. Everyone on Searcher knew, with the exception of Wilma and Buck.  
  
During this awkwardly private moment being played out in the Landing bay, Apollo held tight to Sheba, the beautiful daughter of the living legend, as she wiped a way a tear of her own.  
  
Athena turned to her new husband, Croft, and kissed him gently on the lips. The scene moved even Boomer and Dietra, clasping hands for the first time in their flirtatious relationship. Off to the side, all by herself, stood Cassiopeia. She had seen enough. She would return to her quarters and cry herself to sleep, as she so often did.  
  
"I love you too", said Buck as he gently guided Wilma's face towards his.  
  
They kissed passionately.  
  
"Way to go daddy-oh!!!" chirped Twiki from inside the fighter.  
  
"I have to go now, Wilma", Buck said, pushing the Colonel gently away. "I'll be back, I promise."  
  
Buck turned to climb up the ladder to his cockpit, but found his path blocked by Commander Adama.  
  
"Are you sure about this, young man?" asked the Commander.  
  
"Yes, Commander. I know Ardalla better than anyone. If I can't convince her to join forces with us, then no one can", answered Buck.  
  
*  
  
Moments later, Bucks' Starfighter rocketed down the launch bay of Galactica and into the void of space.  
  
"Chicago-Chicago-You're my kind of town, Chicago---"  
  
"Beeda beeda beeda. Buck, how the heck can you sing at a time like this?" asked Twiki.  
  
"Sorry, Twiki. Singing calms my nerves. Besides-"  
  
"What is it, Buck?"  
  
"Whoooooheee! Scanners have just detected our bogey. Looks like the bulk of Draco's fleet is headed this way!" said a startled Buck.  
  
"Buck, are you sure about this?"  
  
"C'mon, Twiki, You know the princess can't resist me. It's going to be a piece of cake!" laughed Buck nervously.  
  
Sometime later.  
  
"Me and my big mouth", quipped Buck as Draconian guards fitted him with appropriate armor for the arena. "Princess! How many times do we have to go through with this little charade?"  
  
"I assure you, Captain Rogers, this is the last time", the Princess replied. Her voice echoed through the chamber as she sat behind the double- sided mirror shield.  
  
Starbuck and Baltar sat beside her as her personal guests for these proceedings. Meanwhile, a disapproving Kane sat directly behind his princess. Kane should have been thrilled at this moment, the moment of his greatest foes death. Instead, he found himself staring at the new object of his princess's desire-Starbuck.  
  
"Here's your drink, bub", said Ardalla's newest waiter, Twiki.  
  
"Name's Starbuck, little fella."  
  
"Ardalla!" shouted Buck. "We don't have time for this! We're both in grave danger if we don't join forces!"  
  
"So you keep saying", said the Princess lazily.  
  
"What is he babbling about?" Baltar whispered to Starbuck. Starbuck shook his head that he didn't know.  
  
"Princess", said Starbuck, "Is this really necessary? What is this man guilty of that he should be made to fight to the death?"  
  
"He betrayed me, my love", she answered with a kiss to Starbuck's cheek.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Let the fight begin!" shouted Killer Kane.  
  
Slowly, a hatch on the far side of the chamber began to rise.  
  
"I've beaten Tiger man before, Princess. I can beat him again!" yelled Buck.  
  
Ardalla's response bellowed from the speakers and Buck's confusion riddled his face.  
  
"You're not fighting Tiger-man this time, Captain!" she said. "He met an unfortunate end at the hands of your new opponent!"  
  
"New opponent?" whispered Buck.  
  
The Princess's words still reverberated around the chamber as Buck's new foe was revealed.  
  
"Dear god!" exclaimed Buck. "What the hell is that?"  
  
Nador, the son of Maga, entered the arena. He stood in at 6 foot 6 inches and weighed over 300 pounds. His robes and headdress made him even more awe inspiring and intimidating.  
  
"It looks like a Neanderthal man!" shouted Twiki.  
  
"Ok, Captain Caveman", joked Buck. "Let's see what ya' got."  
  
Buck was quite familiar with the weapons hanging from one wall of the arena and quickly grabbed his favorite, a long staff with razor sharp blades on both ends. The Nomen followed Buck's lead, quickly grabbing a giant axe from the weapons display.  
  
"Beeda beeda. I can't watch", said Twiki as he turned away and into Starbucks' arms.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	10. VULPA ADVANCES

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part10  
  
*  
  
"Dr. Huer, the signal has been confirmed", Theo reported dutifully. "A power signature of unknown specs has appeared from deep within the desert of what was once known as New Mexico."  
  
"Send in a legion from our Southwestern office. I want to know what's going on down there", exclaimed Huer.  
  
"Yes, Doctor", replied Theo. "It is done."  
  
"Good. Now, Dr. Theopolis, any theories on what this anomaly could be?" asked Huer.  
  
"I do not have enough data at this time to make a sound hypothesis. However, the appearance of the signal coincided precisely with the appearance of these Colonial and Cylon forces", explained Theo.  
  
"Hmmmm. Well, let's hope our soldiers from Fort Roswell can get to the bottom of this. I think we have enough to deal with now with a Fleet of hostile aliens approaching. We don't need any more surprises here at home", sighed Huer.  
  
"I agree. I wonder how Captain Rogers is doing right now", Theo said.  
  
*  
  
The Cylons had never amassed in such numbers in the history of their world. More than half of their entire military machine was represented in Vulpa's ambitious plan to conquer the Earth and exterminate the human race once and for all. Fifty Cylon Base-stars, just secured from warp, have joined the Destructor class Super-Basestar to launch the final assault on the humans.  
  
"This will be a day long remembered", Vulpa said from his command pedestal. Lucifer and Spectre simply nodded in agreement. "It has seen the end of the Imperious Leader and soon it will see the end of the human pest and their pathetic patriarch---Adama!"  
  
"It should be quite a good battle", offered Spectre.  
  
"It will be no battle, Spectre! It will be a massacre! And, once word of this extermination reaches other outposts of technologically advanced civilizations, no one of them will ever dare to challenge the Empire of Cylon!"  
  
"Supreme Leader, we only await your order to begin the attack", reported Lucifer.  
  
"Yes! The time is at hand! Flank speed to Earth!"  
  
*  
On the Galactica, Colonel Tigh races from Athena's post to his Commander's side with an urgency Adama had never seen from his longtime aid.  
  
"What is it, Tigh?"  
  
"Commander, it's begun! The Cylons are entering the Earth's solar system. They will be in attack position in less than 5 centons!" exclaimed the always- excitable Colonel.  
  
"Battle stations!" shouted Adama. "Helm, set course for Earth--- Light Speed!"  
  
"Father, what about the fleet?" shouted Athena over the blare of the alert claxon.  
  
"They are to stay here. Order all ship captains to shut down all non- essential equipment. I want them to go dark! The Cylons won't be able to detect them!" exclaimed Adama.  
  
"Adama, this is suicide", whispered Tigh into the Commander's ear. "We won't last 5 centons against those Cylon forces."  
  
"I can't stay here and watch the Cylons destroy the Thirteenth Tribe, Tigh. We'll just have to hope and pray that Buck Rogers can convince those Draconian forces to help us", Adama said, sighing deeply.  
  
*  
  
"Ardalla! You have to believe me!" shouted Buck as he ducked to avoid a sure deathblow from the Nomen.  
  
It didn't take Buck long to realize he had no real chance of survival against this beastly man, at least not alone. He would need help, and fast!  
  
"There is a greater force than ours and yours combined, Princess!!!" gasped Buck. "C-Cylons---Cylons are coming!!!"  
  
The Nomen's axe found its mark this time, splitting Buck's staff in two. Buck was now defenseless.  
  
"Cylons? Did he say Cylons?" shouted Starbuck.  
  
"Why? What are Cylons?" asked the Princess.  
  
Starbuck wasted no time in answering. He sprung at Killer Kane's holstered weapon, grabbed it, and in one motion turned and fired at the shielded window. The protected window shattered, Starbuck jumped through the opening and fired at Nador just as the Nomen was about to split Buck in two. Nador slumped to the ground in a giant heap.  
  
"What are you doing?!" demanded Ardalla.  
  
Starbuck ignored the Princess and helped Buck to his feet. "How do you know of the Cylons?" he asked.  
  
"From a man called Adama, the Commander of the Battlestar Galactica", answered an exhausted Buck.  
  
"Dear lord", whispered Baltar as he slumped back in his chair.  
  
"I demand to know what is going on here!" growled a furious Kane.  
  
"I'll tell ya' what's going on Kane", gasped Buck. "The Earth Defense Directorate, the Colonial Warriors of the Galactica, and the Draconian Empire are all joining forces to counter an all out assault on this galaxy. If we don't, there won't be human sole left alive in this corner of the universe!"  
  
*  
  
On Earth, things are going from bad to worse in a hurry. Riots have erupted in every major Earth city as the general population has learned of the impending doom that will result from a Cylon attack. Dr. Huer races from one control station to another deep within an underground bunker in New Chicago. The reports coming in aren't good and word has just arrived of an alien fleet massing near Mars.  
  
"Sir, incoming message from our base on Mars", reported an officer.  
  
"On screen", ordered Huer.  
  
A disheveled soldier suddenly appeared on the jumbo screen of the Earth's military nerve center. Explosions could be heard in the background along with sickening cries for help from the human population.  
  
"New Ch-Chicago! We are under attack!!! They're relentless! I've never seen the like---fighters so quick, our weapons can't lock on! Help us before---"  
  
The transmission is cut off and replaced with a view of the Mars surface. Human ground forces can be seen in the foreground taking up defensive positions. Hover-tanks, foot soldiers and other vehicles fire their lasers at the approaching Cylon army. Fiery explosions send the red- dust of the Mars surface airborne, creating a blinding cloud. For long moments, only the bright laser-beams of the opposing armies forces can pierce the dense cloud. Then, as the officers on Earth watch in horror, their jumbo monitor zooms in on a faint red light. Then, there is another and another. The red lights sweep from side to side. They are everywhere. Then, the source of the red lights is revealed. Cylon Centurions emerge from the dust cloud, firing their weapons in all directions. The two armies converge; it is hand-to-hand combat now. The scene is horrific as the Cylon used the blades on the end of their rifles to send human after human to their death.  
  
"Shut it off!" cried Huer.  
  
"Dr. Huer, another report" said Theo as the Directorate's monitor went black.  
  
"Yes, what is it now?" said a shaken Huer.  
  
"A second mystery signal has apparently been activated."  
  
"What? Where?" demanded Huer.  
  
"It seems to be emanating from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean", Theo reported.  
  
"What?"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	11. Z

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 11  
  
Deep within the bowels of the mighty Battlestar Galactica, the child of the stars lies in a cryogenic tube. His vital signs have never faltered nor fluctuated since that fateful day when he had been severely wounded during a most violent escape from Cylon treachery. The Childs' extraordinary abilities had saved the Galactica and her rag-tag fleet on numerous occasions throughout the yahrens. Adama believed the boy to be the chosen one, a gift from the gods sent to save humanity from its' evil enemies. Indeed, the young genius had provided the Colonial Fleet with new technologies that certainly expedited their journey towards Earth. A warp system, powerful defense shields, and a Wave Motion Cannon were just a few of the young male's contributions to the fleet.  
  
Cassiopeia visited the boy often. She would sit beside his Cryo-tube for Centares just talking to him, reading to him, and sometimes even praying to him. At first, the former Socialator's actions puzzled her friends and peers on Galactica. However, as time passed, it became obvious to Sheba, Apollo and the others why Cassie felt a special bond with the boy. The resemblance to Cassie's lost love was uncanny. As the yahrens past, the boy in the tube had continued to grow and mature. There was no way to ascertain his age for sure, but he appeared to be in his early twenties.  
  
Now, Cassie thought back to the first time she met the young boy. He was still just a baby when he suddenly announced to a stunned group of onlookers that his name was Zeus. Cassie giggled aloud as she recalled the day. She never liked the name Zeus, so she called him Zee. The boy didn't seem to mind the nickname and he quickly took to Cassie as his mother figure. It wasn't long before Wilker, Salik and the rest of Galactica's scientific brain trust were calling him Dr. Zee.  
  
The only other information Zeus could provide the Colonials was that his mother was a woman named Angela and his father was a man named Starbuck. Zeus had recounted the tale of Starbuck's fate to Adama one morning after a mysterious dream. Adama learned that Starbuck had crash- landed on a barren planet where in an apparent act of desperation to survive, Starbuck re-constructed a Cylon from a downed enemy fighter. The Cylon assisted Starbuck in constructing an escape pod for baby Zeus using parts from Starbuck's Viper and Cy's Cylon Raider.  
  
"Hey," Sheba said, breaking Cassie out of her daydream. "There isn't much time left. Is this where you want to spend it?"  
  
"I have nothing else, Sheba", whispered Cassie. "I have to be here."  
  
Suddenly, Adama entered the room followed by Doctor's Wilker and Salik.  
  
"I have to go. Apollo is waiting for me", said a somber Sheba.  
  
"Good luck out there, Sheba", cried Cassie. "You've been a good friend."  
  
"Hey, who says I'm not coming back?" cried Sheba.  
  
Cassiopeia feigned a smile. She knew the odds they faced today were insurmountable. She watched Sheba turn and leave Life Center as Adama put his hand on her shoulder, softly patting her.  
  
"I suppose it's now or never", she said.  
  
"We have to try", explained Adama. "We need Dr. Zee's advanced mind now more than ever. He may be able to help us."  
  
"So, we either wake him up with this very dangerous brain procedure or we kill him?" Cassie moaned.  
  
While Adama and Cassie commiserated, Wilker and Salik prepared their patient for brain surgery; a surgery they hoped would jump-start his mind back to consciousness.  
  
The invisible beam exploded through the Galactica, through its thick bulkheads and into the mind of Zeus. The beams energy seared through every part of the young man's brain. The Colonials in the room were completely unaware of the extraordinary event that was taking place right under their noses.  
  
"My god!" exclaimed Salik as he stared at his instruments in disbelief. "We have brain activity!!!"  
  
"Already?" cried Cassie.  
  
"No, you don't understand", stammered Wilker. "We haven't even begun the procedure yet!"  
  
"What?!" gasped Adama. The religious Commander immediately took this as a sign of prophecy. The chosen one was going to awake at the pre- destined time that his people would need him. That had to be it!!!  
  
Zeus's mind was a flutter of images. He was unaware of the people in Life Center. The only thing that he cold see was a blue-white planet and then a beautiful island. When the island left his thoughts, it was replaced with a magnificent city. Then, the voices came.  
  
"It is time, My Lord. We have prepared for your arrival."  
  
Zeus opened his eyes for the first time in yahrens. He stared at Adama and only Adama.  
  
"Free the children of Atlantis", he said.  
  
To be Concluded 


	12. Final Battle

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 12  
  
*  
  
The room was as quiet as a tomb. The air seemed stale and dead to everyone in the chamber as they watched the horror being displayed before them. Buck Rogers had convinced Ardalla to scan through the Earth frequency's to see for herself the devastation left behind by these Cylon aggressors. Buck, Ardalla and Kane were completely awestruck. The channel they picked up showed the Mars Colony had been completely decimated. Starbuck and Baltar were having slightly different reactions. Starbuck was disgusted by the scenes but he was also hopeful that this meant his friends and loved ones aboard Galactica were surely nearby. He prayed that if this were indeed the end, he would be able to spend it with Cassie, Athena and Apollo. Baltar, on the other hand, was trying to come up with a plan that would ensure his survival. It certainly appeared as if the Cylons were going to be the victors in this final battle. So, as the others concentrated on the battle being played out on the view screen, Baltar slipped away.  
  
Baltar had wisely taken note of the path the Draconian Guards had taken from the time of his capture in the Star Fortress's hangar bay, to the time he and Starbuck were brought before the Princess in her chambers. He easily made his way through the maze of corridors and to his ship, The Avenger. Kneeling down beside a supply rack, Baltar could see that there were no guards around the ship at all. Apparently, the Princess and Kane did not believe Avenger was of vital interest to the security of their hangar. With no hesitation at all, Baltar sprinted down a metal staircase and across the hangar towards the Nomen Freighter and freedom.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it", said a stoic Kane.  
  
"These Cylons---you're people lead them across the universe and right to Earth's doorstep", exclaimed the Princess, trying to maintain a confident composure. "I think Earth is getting exactly what it deserves."  
  
"My people didn't have any choice, your highness!" retorted an enraged Starbuck. "We're refugees from a system of 12 planets, a lush and thriving civilization that was completely destroyed by the Cylons simply because we loved freedom, we loved independence---to feel-to question-to resist oppression. But, to them, it was an alien way of existing that they could never accept!"  
  
Ardalla smiled, "My father could approach their leader and -"  
  
"Ardalla!" shouted Starbuck. "The Cylons ambushed our fleet of Battlestars at a Peace Conference while wave after wave of their fighters bombed our cities! They cannot be reasoned with! They are machines! A race of beings created by a Dark God for one purpose---the extermination of the life form known as man!"  
  
Buck examined the Princess's demeanor and knew that she was wavering in her thinking. God, she was a stunning woman, he thought. If it weren't for Wilma and maybe under different circumstances---well, who knows?  
  
"Princess, we've known each other for a long time now", said Buck softly. "You know me well enough to know that I am not a liar. I have met Starbuck's people on board their Battlestar and I have fought beside them once already. These are good people Princess and I believe that if we do not take up their fight beside them, our civilizations will fall as surely as theirs did."  
  
Buck moved forward, taking Ardalla's hand in his. "Princess, I believe that if we don't join forces, the human race will cease to exist in this universe. I believe this is bigger than all of our societies combined. It didn't hit me until just now, but the very names of some of Starbuck's people hint at this battle being of biblical proportions."  
  
"What do you mean, Buck?" asked Twiki.  
  
"Well, Twiki, Commander Adama for example---his name could be a derivative of Adam, the father of mankind. And, Apollo was a god in Greek mythology as was Athena. Even you, mister Starbuck---"  
  
"What are you saying, Buck?" asked a confused Starbuck.  
  
"I'm not exactly sure, Starbuck. But, all of this may have been prophecy or it may have happened before in some other space-time continuum. Many of your friend's names are the names of God's from ancient Earth mythology. The helmets that your pilots wear are almost exact replicas of the headdresses of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. What I'm saying is that this day, today, we may be pawns playing out the dawn of some new era in this universe or it may be the Armageddon, the end of all things. I believe the choice is yours, Princess", sighed Buck.  
  
Before Ardalla could answer, a guard burst into the room. "Your highness, your father commands you to return the Royal Fleet to Draco immediately."  
  
"There is your answer, Buck", Ardalla said weakly. "My father's order must be followed. Guard, order helm to make for home."  
  
"No! Belay that order!" interrupted Killer Kane. "Princess, I cannot allow you to do this. I believe we must fight!"  
  
"But, Kane-"  
  
"No buts", said Kane, taking her hand from Buck's. Ardalla let herself fall into Kane's arms. She laid her head on his chest and nodded in approval. They would stand and fight alongside the Defenders of Earth.  
  
"Well, let's get going", exclaimed Buck.  
  
"Hey! Beeda beeda beeda, where did the creepy dude go?"  
  
"Baltar!" gasped Starbuck. *  
  
"By the Lords of Kobol! It's a miracle" gasped Adama, choking back tears of joy.  
  
"Ironically, there is some truth to your appraisal of the situation, Commander", said Zeus as he stepped down from the gurney.  
  
"Your clothes---" whispered Salik.  
  
"Yes, you refer to the shimmering white glow of these new robes. I am currently reflecting the protective aura of the Seraphs---the beings from the Ship of Lights", explained Zeus.  
  
Cassie couldn't hold back her elation at the sight of her boy any longer. He looked so much like Starbuck as a young man. She reached to hug him but was startled when her arms passed right through him.  
  
"Oh, my god!" she exclaimed.  
  
"You're one of them, aren't you?" whispered an awestruck Adama.  
  
"Yes, I am. As are you, my friend. At least you will be once you've transcended the crude matter of the flesh."  
  
"I-I am no more than a man", said Adama.  
  
"You are much more than a mere man, Adama. You are what your people may aspire to be. You are of pure Kobolian blood. You, your son and your daughter are the key tie between Kobol and Earth", said Zeus as he circled the Life Center.  
  
Cassie sat down, completely floored by what she was hearing. Salik and Wilker thought that Cassie had the right idea, each of the men finding a chair to slump into. Adama stood in the center of the room as Zeus slowly circled him.  
  
"How can this be?" stammered Cassie.  
  
"The Adama family has already been to Earth. Many millennia ago, the House of Adam seeded Earth as the 13th colony of Kobol. Adam and his consort, Eve, were placed on Earth to start the human race anew. The Seraphs did this to counteract the actions of one of their own, the Prince of Darkness-"  
  
"Count Iblis", finished Adama.  
  
"Yes", said Zee. "Iblis, using the Cylons as his soldiers of evil, instigated the 1,000 yahren war that culminated with the destruction of the 12 worlds of the 3 suns."  
  
"I'm lost", Wilker whispered to Salik.  
  
"Today is the final battle between Iblis' forces of darkness and the forces of light assigned to protect the human race. Your medallion, Adama, has activated Earth's ancient Defense Force and, in turn, revived me from my stasis state."  
  
Instinctively, Adama reached for the medallion clipped to the breast- plate of his uniform. It felt warm and seemed to be humming.  
  
"Yes, you know this all to be true", said Zeus. "You've always known. That is why you lead your survivors on a quest for a mythological planet, and that is why they followed. You were touched by the hand of god and it called to the Kobolian blood running through your veins. Do you remember the day?"  
  
"Yes! Yes, I remember now", said an excited Adama. "It was just after the Cylon attack at the Peace Conference. Apollo and I had gone down to the surface of Caprica. While Apollo was outside our family dwelling, a book fell from the shelf across the room. It was my wife Ilya's copy of the Book of the Word. I picked it up and opened it right to the scripture of the "Garden of Earth". That's when I decided to seek out the 13th tribe."  
  
"This is amazing", cried Cassie.  
  
Suddenly, the ships' alert claxon came to life, jolting Cassie and the others back into another reality. Cassie and the doctors raced to their battle stations, but Adama and Dr. Zee remained in Life Center.  
  
"The time has come, Adama. You must have faith."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Launch all vipers, all batteries commence firing!!!" shouted Tigh over the bridge claxon.  
  
Almost simultaneously, vipers roared from the Galactica's launch tubes. The vipers quickly swooped around their mother ship to face the unbelievable enemy force approaching. They weren't alone.  
  
"Form scan positive, Colonel Tigh. Starfighters from Earth ship Searcher have rendezvoused with our fighters and are on direct intercept course with approaching Cylon force", reported Athena dutifully.  
  
She paused for a moment as she met Tigh's gaze. They were both thinking the same thing. The odds were hopelessly against them, but still they would fight. Athena's thoughts also dwelled on her loved ones, the special people in her life that she would probably never see again. She thought of her husband, Croft, the rough warrior that had earned his freedom from the prison barge when he lead the Galactica to victory two decades earlier during the battle for the Gun on Ice Planet Zero. Of course, her brother Apollo, sister in law Sheba, and nephew Boxey were also out there in their skinny little fighters. Athena allowed a micron for prayer, and then continued with her duties.  
  
The Searcher bridge was filled with a tangible dread that one could probably walk on. Each member of the command crew took turns being caught in an awestruck gaze at the main viewer.  
  
"This is surely suicide", sighed Asimov.  
  
"Admiral, communiqué coming in from EDD. It's Dr. Huer, sir", reported Devlin.  
  
"On viewer, Devlin."  
  
Dr. Goodfellow, Crighton, and Wilma entered the bridge just as Huer's face appeared on screen.  
  
"Admiral, I hope you and your new friends arrive soon or their won't be an Earth left for you to defend", Huer said bluntly. "These Cylons ran right through our outer planetary defenses, came around from the dark side of the moon and immediately started bombing all major cities."  
  
"Lord, no", whispered Goodfellow.  
  
"So far, our shields are holding, but they are weakening every moment that passes. It doesn't look good", said Huer.  
  
"Any word from Buck?" asked Wilma.  
  
"I'm afraid not, Colonel. I was hoping that you had heard something. It appears Buck was unable to convince Ardalla to join us", said a defeated Huer.  
  
"There is still time, Doctor. I wouldn't give up on Captain Rogers just yet", offered Theo as he sat placidly on Huers' desk.  
  
"Dr. Huer, whatever came of those mysterious signals?" asked Wilma.  
  
"I don't know how they play into all of this Colonel, but it appears the Cylons have been to Earth before", answered Huer.  
  
"Yes", continued Theo. "We have unearthed an ancient starship in the region once called Roswell, New Mexico."  
  
"Roswell?" said Wilma. "Buck's told me this story. 20th century legend placed Roswell as the sight of a UFO crash."  
  
"Yes", said Theo. "Well, now it appears that that UFO was in fact a Cylon ship containing three Cylon Centurions. Somehow, as the Cylon force approached, the ancient fighter's homing beacon was activated and lead the Cylon's directly to Earth."  
  
"Yes, but what of the second energy beam? Is that Cylon as well?" asked Dr. Goodfellow.  
  
"As of now, we do not know", answered Huer. "However, our instruments are going reading one small quake after another at the bottom of the Atlantic. Some seismic event has apparently begun and its epicenter is the same as this mystery signal."  
  
With no warning, Huer's image vanished.  
  
"We've lost transmission, sir", reported Devlin.  
  
"Understood. How long before we engage the enemy?" asked Asimov.  
  
"All fighters are now engaged, sir", replied a clearly shaken Devlin.  
  
"Lord help us", Asimov said.  
  
Conclusion continues in part 13---- 


	13. A Glimmer of Hope

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 13  
  
*  
  
Apollo took up his familiar spot as the point man in the formation of Blue Squadron as it raced towards the enemy, which was now in Earth orbit. The elite Blue Squadron leader also led Silver Spar and Red groups past the Earth's single moon and on a direct heading for a Basestar that was now pummeling New Chicago. As the time of engagement neared, Apollo continued to check his scanner for all relevant and updated data on the Cylon forces and their positions. As it now stood, 25 Basestars hovered over the 25 largest cities on Earth, firing salvo after salvo of high-powered destructor beams upon the planet's population centers.  
  
"This task force makes the one they used to ambush our fleet at Cimtar look like a combat probe", Boomer deadpanned.  
  
Boxey squirmed in his cockpit. This was not the end he envisioned all those yahrens ago when he dreamed day and night of becoming a Colonial Warrior.  
  
"Father?"  
  
"Yes, Troy?" replied Apollo.  
  
"I just wanted to say---"  
  
"No. No goodbyes, son", said Apollo in a commanding tone. "You have a job to do. Stay focused."  
  
"Yes, sir!" Boxey answered as professionally as possible.  
  
Sheba, the woman that had assumed the role of Boxey's mother over twenty yahrens ago, glanced over at her son's ship. Troy had most certainly grown into a fine young man and a very skilled pilot, but he would always be her little Boxey. She wished she could teleport him away to safety. But, in reality, would there ever be a safe haven anywhere in the galaxy so long as there was a Cylon Empire? As Apollo began a countdown to fire, Sheba returned her attention to the starfield ahead. Off to her port side, she noticed the twinkle of a distant star and then, for just a moment, she could have sworn she heard a voice. The voice was warm and loving and definitely familiar.  
  
"Go get those tin-headed devils, baby!"  
  
"Father?" Sheba whispered.  
  
Hawk led the Starfighters as they did their best to keep up with the faster Colonial Vipers. He glanced to his port side where he could see the rest of the Defense Directorate squadrons rising from Earth's atmosphere to rendezvous with Searchers' squadron. Hawk allowed himself but a brief moment to think of his deceased wife before he entered what would surely be his life's final moments. As Apollo's countdown ended, laser fire erupted all around the Starfighters, jolting Hawk's fighter from side to side.  
  
"Not much longer now, my beloved. I will see you on the other side", whispered Hawk as he engaged the enemy.  
  
"I've got to get out there!" exclaimed Wilma.  
  
"I need you here, Colonel! You're my XO!" Asimov countered.  
  
"Admiral, I belong out there! There's not a helluva lot more I can do standing next to you on this bridge", snarled Wilma. "I belong in a cockpit of a Starfighter!"  
  
Asimov sighed deeply. He knew she was right. And really, what difference would it make anyway? They were hopelessly outnumbered. Crighton estimated over 1,000 enemy fighters in just their first wave alone. This was going to be a very short battle.  
  
"Go", said Asimov in barely a whisper. "God be with you, child."  
  
No sooner had Wilma sprinted off of the Searcher Bridge than Crighton wheeled over to the Admiral with a pressing report. Dr. Goodfellow, noticing the androids' uncharacteristic sense of urgency, followed the tall, silver android to the Admiral's chair.  
  
"What is it, Crighton? I'm quite busy, in case you hadn't noticed?" shouted an angry Asimov.  
  
"Admiral, I have found a flaw in the Cylon defenses", reported Crighton almost gleefully.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yes, it appears that I have the ability to hack into their mainframe systems on board their mother-ships---Basestars I believe our Galactica hosts had called them", explained Crighton.  
  
Others on the Searcher command deck now stopped what they were doing to listen to Crightons' plan. Devlin rushed from his station, "Well, spit it out! How have you done this, Crighton?"  
  
"It pains me to admit that I do not know. However, I can infiltrate their systems with a very simple virus or-"  
  
Dr. Goodfellow laughed boisterously. "It all makes sense now", said the doctor.  
  
"Dr. Goodfellow, please explain", said the Admiral in a most urgent tone.  
  
"Yes, and quickly", added Devlin. "We're running out of time. Our fighters are dropping like flies."  
  
"Crighton---Crighton was assembled where?" asked Goodfellow.  
  
"Dr. Goodfellow, you know that I came from the advanced Artificial Intelligence labs at Fort Ros-"  
  
"That's right, my dear Crighton. You were constructed at the Top Secret laboratories at Fort Roswell", said Goodfellow, finishing the androids sentence.  
  
"My god! According to Dr. Huer, Roswell was the sight of the famous UFO crash where the old U.S. government was said to have covered up the findings of 3 alien beings", exclaimed Asimov.  
  
"3 alien beings that we now know were Cylons!" added Devlin.  
  
"Are you all inferring that I am a ---Cylon?" said Crighton, raising his long neck high into the air.  
  
"No. No, my android friend, you're not Cylon but I do believe your designs and positronic net may have been based on Cylon technologies", explained Goodfellow.  
  
"So, somehow you're noggin' can get us by their technology!" laughed Devlin. We may have a chance yet."  
  
"So, how do we use this?" Asimov asked Goodfellow.  
  
"I already have a plan, Admiral", answered Crighton. "With your permission I will execute it immediately?"  
  
"Yes! For god's sake, whatever it is, do it now!!!" growled Asimov.  
  
A firefight like no other raged above the Earth's atmosphere. Allied human forces fought against all odds to save their people, their very species from being exterminated. The laser fire was so intense, and there were so many enemy fighters, it was hard to miss. Stray shots were finding enemy fighters as often as intended ones that had been aimed at the Cylon invaders. However, the sheer number of Cylons was taking its' toll. One brave pilot, be it a Colonial or Earthling, was being blown away every few microns.  
  
Colonel Wilma Deering tried desperately to avoid being the next casualty of the horrific battle. She found herself in a Cylon Pinwheel attack, the same attack pattern that Hawk had barely escaped from in their only other encounter with the Cylons. Unfortunately, unlike Hawks' predicament, there was no one to assist her from avoiding the inevitable. The rest of her comrades were too busy fighting for their own lives.  
  
Then, just as Wilma was about to say a final prayer, three of her Cylon attackers exploded inexplicably. There was no time to ascertain where her savior had come from, but she took full advantage of the situation. Banking sharply, Wilma turned the tables on the remaining attackers and she became the aggressor, quickly destroying two Cylon Raiders.  
  
"Hey, not bad Dizzy D", came her saviors voice over her headset.  
  
"Noah?" exclaimed a shocked Colonel Deering. "Noah Cooper, is that you?"  
  
"The one and only!" Noah replied happily.  
  
Noah Cooper had been a lifelong friend of the Deering family. He had flown for quite some time alongside Wilma's father. Many years later, Cooper had been forced to retire by Wilma, Dizzy D as he called her, because she thought him too old for duty. As fate would have it, Wilma eventually called Cooper back to active duty to navigate the Necrosis asteroid field and bomb a Terrorist base containing stolen nerve gas that was a threat to Earth. After the mission was successful, Cooper and the rest of his 69th Earth Space Marine Squadron were given back their Silver Eagles and reinstated to active duty.  
  
"You didn't think we would miss this bash, did ya'?" another familiar voice echoed through Wilma's helmet.  
  
"Big Red McMurphy!" cried Wilma.  
  
"We're all here, dear", said Harriet Twain. "The entire Fighting 69th, at your service."  
  
Wilma could now see the familiar Bombing Sleds of the 69th coming into view through her canopy. The sleds were bulky, outdated fighters, yet still very effective when the 69th was at the controls.  
  
"I'm afraid you've just joined a losing battle, but I'm glad you're here nonetheless", said Wilma through tears of not only joy, but sorrow as well.  
  
"Not so fast Wilma", Bucks' voice bellowed. "I've brought some friends of my own!"  
  
Wilma looked once more at her scanner, which now displayed a wall of Draconian Marauders with a very large Armada of Star Fortresses not far behind them.  
  
"Buck! You did it!" shouted Wilma.  
  
On the Galactica, Athena is reporting the good news of Buck's success to Colonel Tigh.  
  
"Thank the maker", uttered Tigh. "Athena, what's the count on those Star Fortresses?"  
  
"My scanner reads 12. They appear to be a little over half the size of a typical Basestar", Athena reported. "Weaponry is standard laser disrupter, level 5 power."  
  
"Well, they should at least buy us some more time", said an obviously discouraged Tigh. "Open a hailing frequency to them. Instruct their Captains to engage the main Cylon force on their rear flank. The Galactica will come in from the opposite side."  
  
"Understood, Colonel", Athena said as she worked her controls feverishly.  
  
Tigh walked to the railing of the command deck, leaning on it with a ferocity that could very well buckle the steel. "Adama, whatever you and Dr. Zee are going to do, do it fast", he whispered to himself.  
  
Slowly, a large portion of the battle moved from open space high above the Earth, to just within the planet's atmosphere. Earth's Starfighters had retreated to defend their cities, which were under heavy attack from 25 Basestars' worldwide. Dr. Huer had sent out a desperate recall to defend New Phoenix, whose protective shield had finally faltered. Thousands of Phoenicians died with each blast fired from the Basestar hovering over the city.  
  
Apollo, Boomer, Sheba and Troy had followed Wilma, Buck and Hawk as they led their team against the all out attack.  
  
"Go for the flank side missile launchers" ordered Apollo.  
  
"Wow. I'm having déjà vu. I seem to recall hearing that order before", boomed the voice of a Draconian Marauder pilot.  
  
"STARBUCK!!!!" replied the Colonials in unison.  
  
NEXT: THE FINAL (LONG) CHAPTER ( 


	14. Ship of Lights

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 14:  
  
"Starbuck! By all that's holy!!!" Apollo said, his heart skipping a beat.  
  
"There's nothing holy about me, Apollo", replied Starbuck. "You know that."  
  
"Where have you been all these yahrens bucko? We thought you were dead!" exclaimed a joyful Boomer.  
  
"Oh---playing pyramid with my good friend Cy on Planet Starbuck, mingling with strange women who have immaculate conceptions---that sort of thing", said Starbuck playfully.  
  
Apollo wiped away a tear as he studied Starbuck's familiar, yet aged, face on his small cockpit monitor. The yahrens had not been kind to his lifelong friend. His skin was sun burned and dried out, like the hide of a Lupis that was used for personal containers. His hair was as long as ever, even savage like, with gray overtaking blonde as his predominant color. The uniform he wore was not familiar to Apollo, but he assumed it to be the gear of the Draconians since Starbuck was flying a Marauder. His handsome features still shone through, but Starbuck had obviously been through a lot.  
  
"You look good, old buddy", said Starbuck. "You're looking a lot like the way I remember your father."  
  
"I hate to break up this touching reunion fellas, but we're about to engage one mother of a ship", Buck said impatiently.  
  
"You're right, Captain Rogers", Sheba interceded. "Let's tighten up our formation. All fighters prepare to engage!"  
  
Sheba would take charge for the moment, allowing her husband Apollo and Starbuck a micron to compose them-selves. She looked down at the small holo-pic of her father that she kept under her C.O.R.A. unit and smiled. The Lords of Kobol had granted them one miracle today, the Return of Starbuck, could another such miracle be all that much to ask?  
  
"I'll make you proud, daddy", Sheba whispered to herself.  
  
The Cylon Basestar above New Phoenix stopped its' bombardment of the city to concentrate on the human squadrons now approaching it. All four of its' squadrons collided with the allied human attack force. These Cylons were about to receive a fight unlike any other they had ever taken part in. The human force they were now engaging would be the fighting equivalent of an All-Star Triad Team of the ages. The Colonial Warriors included Apollo, Starbuck, Sheba, Boomer, Dietra, Croft and Troy. Representing the Earth Defense Directorate was Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering, and Hawk. Then, there was the elite forces of the Draconian Guard and the legendary Fighting 69th of the Earth Space Marines. These Cylons didn't have a chance. If only this incredible fighting machine could be at each of the battlefronts, the human race might have had a chance.  
  
That thought stuck in the back of Apollo's mind even as he engaged his familiar enemy. Twenty- five Basestars pummeled Earth cities around the globe, another twenty five were en route to Earth after their quick massacre of the Mars Colony, and the Super-Basestar still remained in the red planet's orbit. It certainly looked hopeless, but what else could they do but stand and fight? Then, there were the feelings of dread as Apollo thought quickly of the rag-tag fleet of Colonial civilians hiding at the edge of the star system. What would become of them? Apollo felt an unbelievable rage come over him. He would not let them die!  
  
For long Centons, the combatants zigged and zagged in and around the gigantic Basestar, the humans taking heavy losses but managing to damage the Cylon ship severely nonetheless.  
  
"Father! I'm reading their shields are gone!" reported an excited Troy. "Their Tylium reactor is unstable as well!"  
  
"Nice work, Boxey. Now take your head out of your scanner and heads up! You've got a Raider on your tail!" shouted Apollo.  
  
Troy dodged and darted through the skies of New Phoenix, desperately trying to evade his attacker. Realizing the enemy pilot was about to have a lock on him, he jammed his control stick forward, sending his Viper in a severe dive towards the Earth.  
  
"That's it, son", cried Apollo. "Down on the deck! I'll be there as soon as I can!"  
  
"No need, old buddy", said Starbuck before the lasers from his Marauder found their mark on Troy's attacker  
  
The Cylon ship was still a fireball as Starbuck's Marauder did a roll through the burning debris. "That ones' a gift from your long lost Uncle Starbuck, Boxey!"  
  
"Nice shooting!" shouted Boomer.  
  
"Captain Apollo?"  
  
"Yes, Captain Rogers?"  
  
"If you want us to hit these guys where it hurts the most, tell our friends in the Fighting 69th here where they can drop their bombs", suggested Buck.  
  
"Transmitting now", said Apollo without further question.  
  
"Coordinates received, Captains", reported Noah Cooper. "Just give us some cover and let the 69th do the rest."  
  
"I'm with you, Noah", said Wilma as she punched in attack coordinates for her Starfighter Wing.  
  
Starbuck, Apollo, Hawk and Buck also took up flanking positions around the Sleds of the Earth Space Marines. As the group closed on their target, the Basestar opened fire with a newfound ferocity. Deadly beams of energy exploded all around the Earth Defenders. Hawk took a particularly devastating hit to his undercarriage, which caused all kinds of system failures throughout his unique fighter, a starship built to look like a giant bird---a Hawk.  
  
"Hawk! Are you ok?" Buck shouted.  
  
"Hawk! Get out of there!" cried Wilma. "You can't do us any more good in that condition."  
  
"I'm afraid you're right, Colonel", replied Hawk in a most pained voice. "Breaking formation to-"  
  
Hawk's transmission ended abruptly--- as did his life. His fighter exploding was a sickening sight for his friends from the Searcher. Wilma could hardly draw a breath as she flew directly through her friends' scattered remains.  
  
"Hawk!!!" Wilma cried.  
  
"Those bastards!" cried Buck.  
  
Enemy fire continued to rain down on Hawks' friends and allies. There was no time for remorse and every Starfighter pilot knew it--- especially Buck.  
  
"It's now or never, Noah!" he shouted. "Do it now!"  
  
"Bombs away!" Noah reported gleefully.  
  
The ancient bombs, which resembled naval torpedoes, nose-dived towards the soft spot in the Cylon's defensive posture. Noah's accuracy was flawless. The bombs struck the baseship directly above the Tylium Reactor, starting a chain reaction.  
  
"Now, let's get out of here!" Apollo warned. "That things' gonna go up like a Supernova!"  
  
The Vipers, Starfighters, Marauders, and Attack sleds, followed Apollo's lead and peeled up and away from the Cylon Basestar. Apollo would make for the heavens, knowing the Earth's atmosphere would shield them from the blast. However, when the Basestar exploded, it was the Sleds that had delivered the deathblow that were caught still within the blast radius. They were just too heavy and bulky to have pulled off the evasive maneuver successfully. Noah Cooper, Big Red and the rest of the 69th were killed instantly.  
  
The Fighting 69th were not the only ones caught, though. The Cylon Raiders, having pulled back to protect their base ship, were also obliterated. Only the Vipers, using their Turbo thrusters, were able to easily outrun the fiery death throws of their inhuman enemy. Starfighters and Draconian Marauders struggled mightily to reach the safe distance. Starbuck pushed the pedal to the metal, squeezing every last microbe of power from the unfamiliar fighter he now piloted. Fire began to surround his ship and he swore a vulgar term or two under his breath at his longtime enemy. Then, quite abruptly, the fire vanished. It had been sucked away by the freezing vacuum of space and replaced by the glittering stars of outer space.  
  
"Holy frak! That was close", Starbuck gasped. "Well, one down---49 to go."  
  
A cheer rose up on the Galactica Bridge as the main viewer displayed the Basestar above New Phoenix exploding. Colonel Tigh, however, was not in a cheerful mood.  
  
"Athena, order Captain Apollo to return to Galactica. We must re- fortify this sector before we reach the main attack force! Our Earth friends will have to do there best to defend their cities on their own."  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
As Athena dutifully punched in the orders to her brothers' ship in standard short, scrambled code, a sharp image permeated her thoughts---her very soul felt as if it were being downloaded with a sensation she could not comprehend. She stood up and headed towards the turbo lift. She was being beckoned by a most beautiful being, though she could not actually see it.  
  
"Athena? Where are you going?" asked a perplexed Tigh. "We have 25 basestars bearing down on us, just 60 microns out!"  
  
Athena did not answer, and somehow Colonel Tigh knew there was none coming.  
  
On the far side of the Cylon fleet, Killer Kane and Princess Ardalla pondered their predicament on the bridge of the Royal Star Fortress. They had just engaged their new enemy and were already realizing the futility of the maneuver. An almost tangible dread could be felt among the Draconian soldiers on the command deck. They most certainly had never encountered anything like the Cylon Empire, not even in their worst nightmares.  
  
"We are suffering massive casualties, Kane!" barked the Princess.  
  
"Since when do you give a damn about those who serve you?" Kane asked sarcastically. "We're holding our own Princess. These Cylons have impressive technology, but their flight skills leave much to be desired."  
  
"Yes, but their numbers are overwhelming", argued Ardalla. "Perhaps we should withdraw temporarily. My father should have some say when it comes to the fate of his Royal Fleet!"  
  
Kane paused a long moment. "We'll give the Galactica just a little more time to initiate whatever plan they have in store."  
  
"And if they do not have a viable plan?" said Ardalla with a smile.  
  
"Then we will withdraw", sighed Kane with some measure of disgust.  
  
Baltar set coordinates for deep space. He would pilot the Avenger far away from the enormous battle and search for a safe place to affect minor repairs to his battered freighter. After clearing the Star Fortresses launch bay, the traitorous human had quickly decided against re- joining his Cylon friends. Their victory was a certainty and therefore his value to the Cylon Alliance would be nil. He had escaped execution once above the Tylium rich planet of Carillon when he had convinced Imperious Leader that he could lead the Cylons to the humans. When the Galactica and her fleet were finally destroyed, the Cylons would probably see Baltar as expendable.  
  
Baltar also knew that he would never surrender to the fool Adama again, under any circumstances. He'd rather die than spend another single day aboard the human's pitiful Prison Barge. No, he would head for deep space---survive to fight another day.  
  
The aging former Count was quite pleased with himself. He had once again done what Baltar did best---he had found a way to stay alive. The battle was now far behind him and there was nothing in front of him except a beautiful field of stars.  
  
"Goodbye Adama---goodbye Galactica. You're finished", sneered Baltar aloud. "To my Cylon friends, I propose a toast---"  
  
Baltar reached into the small container beneath his chair and pulled out a large bottle of Ambrosia. The man had slowly begun to madden over the yahrens and often talked aloud to himself. Now, he would propose a toast to his former enemies and allies alike. The cork of the bottle burst off of the bottle, allowing the fermented ale to spew all over his green cape. Ignoring the mess he had made of himself, Baltar poured himself a tall glass of the vintage Colonial drink.  
  
"Ha ha!" laughed Baltar. "Yes, where was I? To my Cylon friends, especially old LUCY, wherever you are---may you get what you deserve----you miserable pieces of frakkin' felgercarb!"  
  
Baltar raised his glass to the starfield shining brightly through his cockpit window. He finished his drink in a single, long gulp that was followed by a boisterous burp.  
  
As he wiped his mouth clean, his weary eyes noticed four stars suddenly burst to life right before him. They shone ever so brightly and were spaced at perfectly even intervals, forming a diamond formation. Then, there was what would have sounded like a clap of thunder had he been in a planetary atmosphere, followed by a blinding flash.  
  
When Baltar's vision returned to him moments later, an enormous ship dominated his cockpit window. He believed the ship had just secured from warp through what he now realized must have been some advanced intergalactic transit system. The monolithic ship that now dwarfed his stolen Nomen freighter began to circle him like a predator stalking its' prey. Baltar lunged for the controls, desperately trying to key in an escape vector, only to find the ship unresponsive. He was in some sort of tractor beam, a sitting duck. Baltar's lips began to quiver and he wept openly. Baltar now stood toe to toe with the Battlestar Pegasus.  
  
"Baltar---long time no see", came the familiar legends' voice over the Avenger's loudspeakers.  
  
"Cain!!!" cried out Baltar. "It's not what you think!!! Please, my old friend---I am defenseless."  
  
"Yes", said Cain in almost a whisper. "You are aren't you? Just like billions of Colonial men and women were after your treachery all those yahrens ago."  
  
"No!!! Nooooooo!"  
  
"Burn in hades you soulless bastard!!!" said Cain before depressing the firing switch of the Pegasus batteries himself.  
  
A single Pegasus turret blasted the Avenger into a million pieces. Count Baltar, the man who had betrayed an entire civilization, the most diabolically evil man to ever live, was finally dead.  
  
Apollo led the viper squadrons away from Earth at full turbo. He hated leaving Buck Rogers and the others alone to defend their homeland, but their really wasn't any choice. A viper pilot's prime directive was to defend their battlestar and he had received a direct recall order from Athena. Besides, if this were indeed the end, he would want to be fighting alongside his family on the Galactica.  
  
Behind the squadrons of vipers, which now included one Marauder piloted by Starbuck, a brilliant Ship of Lights appeared and quickly closed on the Colonial Warriors.  
  
"Apollo! Something's coming up behind us!" shouted Boomer as he held his hands to the sides of his helmet.  
  
"It's so loud---I can't stand it!" exclaimed Troy.  
  
Then, as abruptly as it had appeared, the Ship of Lights was gone.  
  
"Whew. What was that?" lieutenant Croft asked.  
  
"I don't know", answered Boomer. "Dietra?"  
  
"I'm still here, Boom-Boom", answered Dietra playfully.  
  
"What do you make of that, Apollo?" asked Croft.  
  
When Apollo did not answer, an ache grew in the pit of Crofts' stomach. Apollo must not have made it. What would he tell his wife, Athena? For that matter, would he ever see Athena again to even have the chance to console her?  
  
"Boomer, I've lost my dad on my scanner!" cried Troy.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Boxey", whispered Boomer.  
  
"Boomer, take another look!" gasped Croft. "I've lost Starbuck and Sheba on the scanner as well!"  
  
"Oh, no", whimpered Dietra sadly.  
  
"We've got to go back and look for them!!!" cried Troy.  
  
"No, Troy. They're not out here", said a now enlightened Boomer. "They're someplace else, someplace beyond our reach. Trust me, I know. This has happened before."  
  
"There's the Galactica!" interrupted a Red Squadron cadet.  
  
The Warriors didn't need a scanner. They were in visual range of their battlestar and could see that she was already under heavy attack. Cylon Raiders were swarming all over the Galactica like an angry horde of insects.  
  
"Ok, Warriors---let's go!" growled a bitter Boomer.  
  
Apollo awoke to a gleaming light shining down on him. He found himself lying on his back on some sort of transparent table. Cautiously, he rose to his feet and scanned the area. Crystalline structures abounded throughout the heavenly world he now stood in. A mist covered the ground, making it impossible for him to see even his own feet. It wasn't until he took his first step that he realized that his battle jacket and pants had gone from their normal, soft brown to a pure white.  
  
"Apollo!"  
  
Apollo turned to see Starbuck and Sheba running at him. Their clothes were now white as well. Then, through the distant mist, a clearly puzzled Buck and Wilma appeared.  
  
"Where in heaven's name are we?" Wilma asked.  
  
"Heaven may be a very good choice of words, Wilma", said Buck softly as he took her hand in his.  
  
"Strangely, there is some truth to your misgivings", boomed a familiar voice.  
  
The startled group whirled around in perfect unison to see a larger than life Adama standing atop a short pedestal. The pedestal was low enough to the floor that the mist covered it entirely, making it appear that Adama was floating. The Commander's familiar military tunic had been replaced by far more elegant robes, which of course were white. Dr. Zee appeared from behind Adama, his appearance startling the usually unflappable Starbuck.  
  
"Hello, father",Zeus said to Starbuck.  
  
"You look just like me", gasped Starbuck.  
  
Starbuck felt a tug on his arm. He didn't react initially, as he was caught in an awestruck gaze with Dr. Zee---an almost identical version of him as a young man. When he finally did respond to the hand on his arm, his heart almost burst through his chest.  
  
"Athena!" he shouted before lifting her off of her feet in an engulfing embrace.  
  
Slowly, Starbuck set Athena down and they both turned their attention to Athena's father.  
  
"My children", said the Adama. "Welcome to Atlantis."  
  
Vulpa's three brains were assimilating a continuous stream of reports coming in from this unprecedented military campaign. He could not have been more pleased. In short order, his forces had destroyed all of the Earth's pathetic outer outposts surrounding the small solar system and routed its' largest colony on Mars. It was only a matter of time before the Earth itself would fall. Nothing could save Adama now.  
  
"By your command, Supreme Leader", Lucifer said. "We believe we have detected the civilian ships of the Galactica's fleet. They apparently went dark to avoid our scanners, but a concentrated scan has detected Tylium emissions on the far side of the 9th planet of this system."  
  
"Good. Send a Basestar to deal with them. It should take no time at all", replied Vulpa.  
  
"By your command", Lucifer said before leaving the chamber.  
  
Spectre now stepped forward to make a report of his own. He waited patiently for the Supreme Leader to acknowledge him before speaking. Vulpa stared down at Spectre in an almost human gesture of annoyance.  
  
"Report, Spectre!"  
  
"By your command, Supreme Leader, we have lost all contact with Cylon. I have tried every bandwidth and frequency. There is no reply", reported Spectre.  
  
"I have no time for such trivial things, Spectre. I'm sure there is a logical explanation. Perhaps one of our intergalactic communication buoy's has malfunctioned", replied an uninterested Vulpa.  
  
"No, you fool! Nothing malfunctioned except perhaps your haphazard battle plan", raged Count Iblis.  
  
"Master! Where did you come from?" asked a now alert Vulpa.  
  
"This battle should be over already! Remember, it was I who gave you a second chance to rule, Vulpa! Destroy the humans now! Hold nothing in reserve! Send all of your ships and squadrons to destroy Galactica and her fleet! Commander Adama and his offspring must die now!" Iblis commanded.  
  
"My master", said Vulpa as he retracted the tall command pedestal down to the floor. "Everything is proceeding perfectly."  
  
"You fool! The Imperious Leader felt your wrath because I believed you would succeed where he had failed. And what have you done? You left all of the Cylon territories unprotected to destroy this motley gathering of human survivors! There are revolts springing up throughout the galaxies. The Seraphs have gathered together to battle my minions across the universe in order to punish me for my abuse of their powers. This battle must end now, before the Lords of Kobol themselves can gather their sons and daughters to defend the human abodes!"  
  
"Your eminence, it appears that the thirteenth tribe does indeed have some military might. A number of large warships have engaged our rear flank and their cities did have shielding that took some time to penetrate. Therefore, I felt it wiser to---"  
  
"I don't have time for your pitiful excuses, Vulpa!" raged Iblis.  
  
"By your command, master. I have already sent a ship to destroy their fleet. I will recall all Baseships from Earth orbit and advance all attack waves. The Galactica will be destroyed momentarily", said Vulpa, whom now stood face to face with true evil.  
  
TO BE CONCLUDED: The FINAL (I Promise) entry to the concluding chapter of this story, followed by some notes from the author as well.  
  
(BATTLESTAR POSEIDON: The Website is still under construction but Coming Soon!) 


	15. END GAME

Somewhere Beyond the Heavens part 15: End Game  
  
Admiral Asimov raced from one station to another on the Command Deck of Searcher. The reports he was receiving from his distraught crew were not good. Fire's burned out of control on several decks and their minimal shielding had just about had it.  
  
"All hands abandon ship!" Asimov ordered.  
  
A bloodied Devlin did not budge from his post as the Searcher's helmsman. "I'm not going anywhere, Admiral!" he said defiantly.  
  
Asimov nodded a begrudging agreement with his ships' pilot. They would remain at their posts, along with Crighton, until the bitter end. They saw to the safe evacuation of their ship- mates and provided as much cover as they could for their escape pods. And, while it had taken some convincing, they finally got Dr. Goodfellow off of the bridge and into an escape pod as well. Once his pod was safely en route to Earth, they were truly alone---and without hope.  
  
Dozens of Cylons began kamikaze attacks on the Searcher now, which was clearly mortally wounded. The Searcher had fought gallantly; especially considering it was a research vessel, not a warship. But, it was only a matter of time now before Searcher would be destroyed.  
  
"I have infiltrated a Cylon nerve center", announced Crighton placidly. The AI robot seemed completely unaffected by their predicament.  
  
"Yes! Crighton, will your plan work?" asked a bitter Asimov.  
  
Crighton was now plugged in to the Searchers' main computer, which was aiding him in amplifying his viral signals into the Cylon network.  
  
"It appears that for every three Basestars, there is a mother ship, a Basestar that is the central nerve for all three warships in it's grouping. The encryption codes will undoubtedly become more difficult to crack as I move from one grouping to the next, but I believe I can order the Cylon Baseships to self-destruct", reported Crighton.  
  
"Yes!!!" cried Devlin.  
  
"You better hurry! We won't be around much longer!" growled Asimov.  
  
Devlin inexplicably rushed to the communications station and began to hail Galactica with a flurry of desperate cries for help. As Devlin worked to call for assistance and Crighton delivered his virus, Asimov turned his attention to the main viewer that now displayed three Cylon Basestar's. Because of their immense size in comparison to the diminutive Searcher, they almost appeared to be close enough to touch.  
  
"Admiral, I can't confirm the Galactica copied my message. All communications just went out", Devlin reported solemnly.  
  
"I think our time is up, Devlin", whispered Asimov through gritted teeth. "We did our best, son. God be with the rest of our people now."  
  
Asimov and Devlin watched in horror as the Basestar directly in front of them powered up a missile port and fired it point blank at the Searcher. The two Searcher officers stiffened and gasped for what would surely be their last breaths.  
  
Then, the Galactica appeared out of nowhere, shielding the Searcher from sure destruction. The missile hit the Galactica topside, piercing it's weakening defense shields and destroying several of its' Celestial Chambers.  
  
Tigh's face replaced the view of the Battlestar on the Searcher monitor. "We've just bought you some time, Searcher. Stay tucked in close and we'll shield you the best we can!" urged a haggard looking Colonel Tigh.  
  
"Crighton!!!" pleaded Asimov.  
  
Before Asimov could finish his own thought, the Searcher rocked violently from side to side.  
  
"Admiral! Look!" shouted Devlin gleefully.  
  
The three attacking baseships were in different stages of destruction. Within seconds, all three would become fireballs.  
  
Cheers rose up on the decks of Galactica and Princess Ardallas' Star Fortress, as well as every other allied warship.  
  
"Yeeee haaaaaa!" shouted Boomer as he fired yet another volley of lasers at the enemy.  
  
"Burn in hades!" snarled a now bitter Troy as he watched the Basestars' disintegrate. "That's for my dad, wherever he is."  
  
Tigh watched with great elation as Baseship after Baseship blew apart from within. The more enemy ships that went up in flames, the louder the joyous roar of approval became from the allied squadrons. For the first time since the battle began, the human forces appeared to have a chance. In all, twenty-one Basestars self-destructed. However, as abruptly as the virus had taken effect, it would suddenly be rendered useless. On Galactica, Tigh's elation turned to the sad realization that the Cylons had caught on to their little scheme and found a way to block Crighton's virus.  
  
"They've adapted", reported Crighton on the Searcher Bridge. "The Cylon's have put up a new firewall with multi-layered encryptions in some ancient tongue. I will not be able to continue."  
  
"You've done all you could, Crighton", said Devlin.  
  
"Let's get out of here. We'll make for the Galactica", announced Asimov.  
  
Dr. Huer scanned the myriad of monitors that littered the Nerve Center of the underground bunker. All over the world, the images were the same---death and destruction. And yet, just when these alien beasts could have finished them off, they pulled back.  
  
"Any word from Buck or Wilma yet?" asked Huer.  
  
"I'm afraid not", answered Theo. "However, an unaccounted for Starfighter is on final approach."  
  
"Well, who is it? Identify", said Huer with some urgency.  
  
Huer's words still hung in the air when the buzz of his personal comm.-line went off.  
  
"Beeda beeda beeda. Anybody home?" came the voice of Twiki from Huer's desk speaker.  
  
"Twiki!!!" exclaimed Huer. "Thank heavens' it's you! Where are Buck and Wilma?"  
  
"Beeda beet-not a clue. One minute Buck's flying this bird, the next minute he's gone. So, I activated the auto-pilot and headed for home", explained Twiki.  
  
"Oh, no", Huer moaned.  
  
"Twiki, I'm so sorry", offered Theo. "We know how much Buck meant to you."  
  
"Beeda beeda beet vrrrrp ta dat."  
  
"You don't think that Captain Rogers is still alive, do you?" asked a surprised Theo.  
  
"Buck will be back. I know he will", said the little droid confidently. "Twiki out."  
  
Huer clicked his com-phone to off.  
  
"Dr. Huer---I believe that Buck and Wilma's disappearance may have something to do with the ancient starship that rocketed away from the Earth as quickly as it had appeared over the Atlantic. My calculations have conclusively identified it to have been on a direct intercept path with Buck and the others before both the ship and our pilots mysteriously vanished", explained Theopolis.  
  
"What does it all mean, Dr. Theopolis? What is going on here?"  
  
"I do not know. However, I would hypothesis that we are pawns in a universal battle between the forces of light and darkness", answered Theo in his typically unaffected tone.  
  
"Good lord", sighed Huer.  
  
High above the Earth but in a different dimension, the Ship of Light hovered in the midst of the most horrific battle in the history of the universe.  
  
"Father, what is this place?" asked Apollo.  
  
Sheba clung to her husbands arm as Adama stepped down from his perch. Sheba surveyed the room, and almost laughed aloud as she noticed her peers were feeling the same uneasiness and helplessness that she was feeling. Starbuck and Athena were steadying each other, as were Buck and Wilma. The funny thing was that the men were clinging to their women every bit as much as the women were too their men. They all felt detached and out of sorts in this mysterious world Adama had called Atlantis.  
  
"We are aboard a Seraph vessel, a Ship of Light very much like the one that abducted you all those yahrens ago. Do you remember?" said Adama in a subtle and calming voice.  
  
Adama placed his hand on Apollo's shoulder, tapping it ever so gently. Apollo looked into his father's eyes and felt a wind of enlightenment fill his entire being.  
  
"Yes. Yes, I remember everything now!" sighed Apollo.  
  
"So do I", exclaimed Sheba.  
  
"Ditto for me", added Starbuck. "Up until now, it had seemed like a dream---a feeling."  
  
"The Seraphs are the Guardians of the Universe", continued Adama. "This Seraph vessel was left on Earth to defend the last vestige of humanity from the forces of the Prince of Darkness."  
  
"Count Iblis", whispered Sheba.  
  
A cold shiver shot through her body. She had been controlled by Iblis' machinations all those yahrens ago and the days she had spent with Iblis still haunted her dreams.  
  
"Yes, Sheba", answered Adama.  
  
"Commander Adama", said Buck. "According to Earth mythology, Atlantis was a city that was overcome by the sea."  
  
"Yes, Captain Rogers, this Ship of Light was a thriving city at one time. It was home to the Defenders of the Thirteenth Tribe---that is, until the treachery of Count Iblis destroyed it", explained Adama. "For centuries, it lied dormant at the bottom of an ocean, waiting for the Children of the Thirteenth tribe to free it from Iblis' curse."  
  
"The Children of the Thirteenth Tribe?" inquired Wilma.  
  
"Yes", answered Zeus as he stepped forward. "Adama, Apollo and Athena are direct descendants of the Chieftain of the 13th tribe."  
  
Both Apollo and Athena stepped forward instinctively. Starbuck and Sheba made no attempt to stop Adama's children.  
  
"My children", said a now godly like Adama. "We are of the House of Adam. He and his consort, Eve, were the first Kobolians to reach Earth. They began all human life here on Earth."  
  
"My god", whispered Buck to Wilma. "Adam and Eve---from the bible! It's all true!"  
  
"Father, how can we be their direct descendants?" asked Apollo. "Our family was of the 12 Colonies of Kobol----on the other side of this universe!"  
  
"At some point, the 13th tribe lost all contact with the other 12 Colonies", explained Zeus. "Adam's Ark was sent to re-establish contact. What he found upon his arrival was a pre-Cylon War society of greed, lust, and tribes that would war over such petty things as land and religious beliefs. Then, war with the Cylon Alliance broke out and Adam feared for his tribe. He sent a final communiqué to Earth, ordering his subordinates-- -Pharoahs they were called-to destroy any and all sophisticated technologies that the Cylons would be able to detect or feel threatened by. He vowed to one -day re-establish contact with his people after the Cylons had been defeated. He prayed to his father, the Holy Spirit, to protect his human paradise on Earth. Unbeknownst to him, his prayers were answered and the Seraphs sent a Ship of Light to protect the people of Earth."  
  
"Dr. Zee, how do you play into all of this?" asked Athena.  
  
"Dr Zee was a gift from god", answered Adama. "On judgment day, the Seraphs tested Starbuck. Even though he would be marooned, Starbuck built an escape pod for baby Zeus and his spiritual mother---Angela."  
  
"I guess you passed the test", Buck quipped with a nod at Starbuck.  
  
"Zeus gave us so many things", sighed Adama. "Without his warp system, it would have taken us 5 times as long to reach Earth. His modified shields and Wave Motion cannon saved the Galactica from certain destruction innumerable times. And now, he will help us defeat our enemies once and for all."  
  
"How?" asked Starbuck.  
  
"Count Iblis has abused his powers for the last time", answered Zeus.  
  
"We of pure Kobolian blood have the power within us", said Adama. "Athena, Apollo---will you give yourselves for the good of mankind? Will you leave your crude bodies and allow yourselves to evolve?"  
  
"No!" cried Sheba. "There must be another way!"  
  
"It's ok, Sheba" said Apollo. "You're gonna be ok. Just remember--- I love you. I'll always love you."  
  
Apollo and Sheba embraced for the last time with a love and a passion that was borderline violent.  
  
"Athena", said Starbuck as he grabbed her by the hand. "I've always loved you."  
  
"I know", said Athena before giving Starbuck a gentle kiss on the lips.  
  
"One thing, Commander---why are the rest of us here?" asked Buck.  
  
"As witnesses to the grace of god" answered the Adama. "It will be up to you and Wilma and Starbuck to pass on what you have seen and learned."  
  
"Apollo---Athena---take my hand in yours and close your eyes", said Adama.  
  
The last thing that Starbuck remembered was dozens of white robed figures emerging from the very walls of the light-ship. Then, there was a blinding flash. When he lowered his hands from his face, he was back inside the cockpit of his Draconian Marauder. To his right, he could see Sheba's viper, to his left was a Starfighter containing Buck and Wilma.  
  
"Apollo", whimpered Sheba. "I'll always love you!"  
  
"He knows that, Sheba", said a somber Starbuck.  
  
"Well, whatever they're going to do, I hope they do it fast", groaned Buck. "It doesn't look like our forces will be able to hold out much longer."  
  
On one flank, the Galactica was taking a beating from several Basestars and their fighters. On the other end of the battle, the Draconian Royal Fleet had been cut in two. And, at the edge of the solar system, a lone Basestar had begun to assault the unprotected rag-tag civilian fleet. It certainly looked hopeless for the humans. That is until 13 Ships of Light suddenly appeared.  
  
The tribes of man had finally been re-united. Each light ship represented a tribe of Kobol. The prophecy was being fulfilled. The sons and daughters of the Lords of Kobol, Adama's family, had returned to their place of origin and freed the Atlantis. The Atlantis, which was of the warrior caste among the Seraphs, now took up the lead position in this holy war of good versus evil. Adama telepathically instructed his brethren on the other Light Ships to surround all of the combatants. Almost instantaneously, the Ships of Light surrounded the epic battle raging in the system of Earth.  
  
"I suggest we all head for our home bases ASAP!!!" exclaimed Buck. "I think something big is about to go down!"  
  
"I think you are right, Buck", replied Starbuck.  
  
On the Super-Basestar, Count Iblis' rage could hardly be contained.  
  
"Noooooooo!!!! It cannot be!!!!" he growled. "Damn you, Adama!!! Damn you all to hell!!!"  
  
On Earth, Huer received yet another puzzling report after a day full of them.  
  
"Dr. Huer, a gigantic whirlpool has formed off of the coast of New Florida", reported Theo from Twiki's chest plate.  
  
"Now what?" muttered the exhausted Huer.  
  
Count Iblis shoved Vulpa aside, commandeering the controls of the Cylon Command ship. He set coordinates that would plunge the Basestar into a sea on Earth.  
  
"Your eminence, if I may-".  
  
Iblis turned and unleashed his fury on the gold plated Vulpa. Energy ribbons leapt from his fingers, destroying the Cylon Commander.  
  
As Wilma piloted herself and Buck towards the safety of New Chicago, the gigantic Basestar roared by them, through Earth's atmosphere and into it's Atlantic Ocean.  
  
"Someone wanted out of here pretty bad", quipped Wilma in her best Buck Rogers voice.  
  
"The Bermuda Triangle", whispered Buck. "So, it is a gateway to hell."  
  
Starbuck followed Sheba onto the Alpha Landing deck of the Galactica, putting his new fighter down effortlessly. As he disembarked, a familiar female form approached his ship.  
  
"Cassie!!!" he shouted as he leapt from the wing of the Marauder.  
  
Not far away, Sheba and Boxey clung to one another. No words needed to be said. The most important man in both of their lives was gone. Boomer and Dietra approached only after they had given the mother and son ample time to compose themselves.  
  
"Sheba---Troy," said Boomer carefully. "I'm so sorry, but I think we should make for the nearest shelter. This could be a rough ride."  
  
"Let's go", agreed a tearful Sheba.  
  
When Starbuck and Cassie finally came up for air, they hurried after their friends who were waiting for them on the lift.  
  
Moments later, they found themselves on the Galactica bridge. Starbuck had talked the group out of hiding in some corner of a shelter. He wanted to see firsthand what the wrath of God looked like. Tigh, preoccupied with the events unfolding in the starfield before him, barely noticed the groups' arrival.  
  
"Princess Ardalla!" shouted Kane. "The Colonials are ordering a full retreat."  
  
"It' about time. They've finally come to their senses", said Ardalla.  
  
"Helm", said Kane as he ignored his Princess. "Full reverse. Deck officer---order all Marauders to maintain the perimeter. Don't let anything get through! We only need to keep them from escaping!"  
  
"Escaping? I thought we were the ones escaping", said the befuddled Princess.  
  
The once invincible Cylon force now found itself surrounded and vulnerable. Vulpa and Iblis were gone leaving Spectre in command. Lucifer had assigned himself the task of finishing off the civilian fleet. He had assumed the bridge of the Basestar, which was currently pummeling the Colonial Fleet.  
  
"By your command, Spectre", reported a Cylon Centurion. "13 large starcrafts have surrounded our forces per visual reports. The ships do not appear on any of our scopes."  
  
"Raise all shields and prepare an escape vector", said the nervous Spectre. "We will fall back temporarily and re-group to assess this new foe."  
  
"By your command."  
  
Before Spectres order could be carried out, his Basestar was an inferno. Microns later, there was no sign of it's existence. It had been completely obliterated. Thousands of blue-white spheres of light hurtled from the Seraph ships. They were everywhere. They enveloped the Cylon fleet like a blanket. A sphere would engulf a hapless Cylon Raider, pause momentarily, and then move on leaving nothing but microscopic space debris. Several Spheres would pounce on one Basestar at a time, like an angry pack of predators devouring their prey.  
  
The Galactica bridge crew watched in stunned silence. Slowly but surely, their Cylon enemy was being destroyed by the beautiful, yet frightening energy spheres.  
  
"By the Lords of Kobol", gasped Tigh.  
  
"That's exactly right---Commander Tigh", said Starbuck.  
  
Moments later it was over. The most epic battle in the history of space warfare was over---and the humans had won! A thunderous cheer permeated the Galactica Bridge. Hysterical tears of joy abounded on nearly every crew-person's face. The Cylons' had been repelled---possibly forever.  
  
"Commander Tigh", shouted Boomer over all the jubilation. "It's our fleet, sir! They're in trouble!"  
  
Tigh took one last glance at the view port. He looked just in time to see the Ships of Light slowly disappear.  
  
"They're gone", cried Cassiopeia, as she held tight to Starbuck.  
  
"Goodbye father", Troy whispered to himself.  
  
Tigh shook himself away from the hypnotic scene of the Lightships and back into the task at hand.  
  
"Crewmen!!! Back to your stations!" he shouted. "Flank speed to our fleet!"  
  
Within moments, the Galactica stood toe to toe with Lucifer's lone surviving Cylon Baseship.  
  
"Launch all fighters! All batteries commence fire!" snarled Tigh.  
  
Tigh turned to Starbuck, Sheba and the other command officers--- bringing them in close for a special counsel.  
  
"My friends, I don't know that we have enough left to finish this last Baseship", he said softly. "The Galactica is badly damaged and our fighters will still be outnumbered."  
  
"We're gonna make it, Colonel---Commander", said Starbuck confidently. "The Seraphs didn't just save us to let us die ten centons later."  
  
"I think you're right, Starbuck", said a suddenly awestruck Sheba as she stared at the Galactica view port.  
  
Starbuck, Boomer and the others turned to see the impossible. How could it be? Tigh refused to believe it until he had the Comm-Officer magnify the ship on viewer. When the viewer closed in on the ship, there could be no mistake. It was a battlestar. It was the Pegasus! The viewer actually zeroed in on the battlestar's nameplate, drawing shocked gasps from the Galactica crew.  
  
"Father!!!" cried an elated Sheba.  
  
The view screen suddenly went blank before revealing Commander Cain's grinning face.  
  
"Hello, baby" he said directly at Sheba. "You didn't think you had gotten rid of me? Did you?"  
  
"Father!!! It is you!!!" exclaimed Sheba as Troy tried to steady his stepmother.  
  
"You better believe it, baby. Now, what do you say Colonel Tigh? Should we send this Cylon baddie back to hades?" sneered Cain.  
  
"With pleasure, Commander", said a smiling Tigh. "Fire all missiles!!!"  
  
"Fire all Missiles!!!" Cain howled.  
  
With those two launch orders, Lucifer's Basestar took direct hits on both its' aft and stern. The resulting explosion took dozens of Cylon Raiders with it----to hades!  
  
Another round of cheers erupted on both Battlestar Bridges as well as the thousands of civilians that had witnessed the battle from their barges and freighters. Then, came the best news of all and Cain couldn't wait to tell his Galactica comrades in person.  
  
"That does it, my friends", he smirked. "The war is over!!! I told you we'd do it!"  
  
"Father? What are you talking about?" asked Sheba stepping towards the view port. "What about the rest of the Cylon territories, their home planet---what about the Colonies?"  
  
"The Cylons have been routed in every corner of the known universe! The are effectively extinct---even on their home world of Cylon!" Cain cackled in glee.  
  
"How?" asked Tigh.  
  
"Well, I had a little help from some friends", answered Cain.  
  
"The Seraphs" offered Boomer.  
  
"No", said Cain, clearly shocking his Galactica friends. "These friends."  
  
Suddenly, the diamond shaped Stargate erupted to life once more, spilling out thousands of warships.  
  
"My god!" gasped Boomer. "Those look a little like Eastern Alliance destroyers!"  
  
"Very perceptive, Boomer", replied Cain. "They are 3rd generation from the ones you once encountered. I made some special modifications myself!"  
  
"How did you do this?" said Sheba simply.  
  
"Well---you don't think I've been sitting on my astros all these yahrens do you? I've been busy---building a fleet on Terra. I convinced the East and Western governments that it was in their best interests to help me defeat the Cylon Empire before Terra came under Cylon attack. A pre-emptive strike my friends!!! We would have been here sooner but we were a little busy", said a very proud Cain.  
  
"Busy?" said Starbuck.  
  
"Yes, Starbuck" said Cain as he noticed Cassie for the first time. "I was busy taking back the Colonies!"  
  
"WHAT?!!!" came the cry from several crewmen.  
  
"That's right, my friends. The Colonies are back under our control. The Cylons have been vanquished forever. So, what do you say we get under way?" Cain said.  
  
Once again, a cheer rose up on the Galactica Bridge. The nightmare was over---the Cylons were dead!  
  
Several sectons later, a joyous celebration was taking place in downtown New Chicago. With the help of the Colonials, the damaged cities of Earth were well on their way to being fully reconstructed and rebuilt. Thousands of Colonial civilians had exercised their right to stay on Earth and become members of its' citizenry. Mostly volunteers and career military officers had agreed to join Galactica and Pegasus on a new trek back home to fully realize the rebuilding of the Colonies.  
  
The tribes of man were united. And, with the combination of the Earth's stargate transit system and the warp drive of Galactica, Earth would never again lose contact with her sister worlds.  
  
Dr. Huer approached the podium, which faced the thousands of people in attendance in Chicago Square. Newlyweds Buck and Wilma sat in the front row alongside Twiki, Crighton, Doctor Goodfellow and Admiral Asimov. Devlin stood off to the side with his wife and child.  
  
In the second row, Cain and Sheba chatted with Troy as Starbuck and Cassiopeia fawned over one another. Boomer and Dietra sat behind the happily reunited couple and Commander Tigh stood directly behind Huer as he made his speech. Time and time again, cheers rose up from the huge throng of elated Earthlings and Colonials alike. Even Ardalla and Killer Kane were in attendance. It was a joyous, unprecedented event!  
  
"-----the human race is finally one again!" finished Huer to another round of applause. "This was meant to be my friends. The sole reason the Searcher was on its assigned mission was to seek out long lost brothers of man. The scientific community, headed by Doctor Goodfellow, convinced the Earth Defense Directorate to fund this mission based on ancient 20th century scrolls. Scrolls that were incomplete mind you due to the atomic holocaust on Earth. In fact, the prophet's full name has been the subject matter of many heated debates. Nevertheless, I will now read the ancient scroll for our brothers and sisters of the Twelve Colonies. My friends, this is how we came to find you", said Huer with a quick look over his shoulder at Tigh.  
  
"There are those who believe that life here began out there. Far across the universe with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians or the Toltec's or the Mayans. That they may have been the architects of the great pyramids or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive-----Somewhere Beyond the Heavens!"  
  
Cheers once again shower the stage where Huer and Tigh stand.  
  
Huer quickly added, "The prophet is known by one name only---Larson."  
  
EPILOGUE:  
  
AND SO HAVING ENDED THE CYLON TYRANNY, THE LAST BATTLESTAR'S , GALACTICA AND PEGASUS, LEAD A POWERFULL NEW FLEET ON A NOBLE QUEST---- TWELVE SHINING PLANETS --KNOWN AS THE COLONIES.  
  
THE END  
  
NEXT: NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR 


	16. Notes from the Author

SOMWHERE BEYOND THE HEAVENS: NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR  
  
*When I originally sat down to write this, I was going to write a parody or at least a story that was very much tongue in cheek. Then, as I wrote my outline, I decided that I liked a couple of my ideas enough that I wanted to write a straight Buck Rogers-Galactica Crossover adventure.  
  
*This is very much a rough draft, as all my writings are, that I will hopefully one day go back to and expand upon while fleshing out the characters more. It's definitely "surface" reading but I felt my audience would know these characters well enough to appreciate it anyway.  
  
*One thing I will definitely have to expand upon whenever I get the chance to do a second draft is the whole Adam's Ark subplot. Quickly though, I would say that the time twistings of space travel are a very tricky thing. Also, we all know that a yahren is a year in Colonial time. However, I don't believe it has to be taken literally as exactly a year. Do the Colonials count 365 days in their calendar yahren, etc? We don't really know.  
  
*In a second draft, you would (will) definitely see more of Princess Ardalla and Killer Kane. There would probably be some sort of Galactica / Star Fortress confrontation too!  
  
*I'm not satisfied with the Ship of Lights scenes. I would really like to expand upon Adama and his family becoming members' of the Seraphs-becoming Lords of Kobol.  
  
*The name Seraphs is one I take as "cannon" from the Maximum Press series of comics that was released in the mid 90's. Glen Larson simply referred to the Light beings as the Guardians of the Universe.  
  
*Buck and Wilma deserve more "screen time" as well. It's just very difficult to keep everyone busy when you are dealing with so many characters. I tend to like the big, epic, storylines. So, sometimes my character development suffers.  
  
*Vulpa is one of my favorite characters on the Cylon side and I am currently working on a story that details his rise and fall.  
  
*My website, Battlestar Poseidon, is way behind schedule and still under construction. Now that this story is complete, my main focus will be on the site. Keep a keen eye open for it!  
  
*Hopefully, readers didn't feel that the ending was a "Scooby-Doo" ending. I know I had some people nervous (scratching their heads) with the enormity of the Cylon forces. How in the world could they all be destroyed? Initially, I intended to mislead the reader into believing that the Crighton Virus was going to do the trick. Ok, so it's been done before (Independence Day), but I felt the Crighton / Roswell / Cylon connection would put an original spin on it.  
  
*The story is definitely Galactica heavy. A second draft will hopefully represent the Buck Rogers universe more.  
  
*Originally, in my outline, it was Cain and the Terran (Eastern Alliance) destroyers that saved the day.  
  
*I would like to thank everyone who posted a review. Your thoughts, observations, and critiques were very much appreciated. Hopefully, I will get to meet some of you at the Galacticon (25 yahren reunion) in October!  
  
REMEMBER: KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MY WEBSITE, BATTLESTAR POSEIDON! COMING SOON!  
  
Shawn Scialo Iamluckylouie@aol.com 


End file.
